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I  tut  MhiologifHt  & 


PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


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Purchased   by  the   Hamill   Missionary   Fund. 


BV  3703  .R38  R3  1904 
Rasmussen,  Hannah. 
A  young  missionary 


BERTHA  RASMUSSEN. 


Her  godly  life  went  out  from  this  world  to  shine  luoi-e  fullj' in 
the  other  at  the  age  of  tif  teeu  years  and  ten  mouths. 


A 

YOUNG  MISSIONARY 

OR 

The  Life  of 
Bertha    Rasmussen 


WRITTEN    BY    HER    MOTHER 

MRS.  HANNAH   RASMUSSEN 


"  Remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth."     "  My 
Father,  thou  art  the  guide  of  my  youth." —  Bible 


CHICAGO,    ILL. 

S.    B.    SHAW,    PUBLISHER 

212  &  214  W.  Chicago  Ave. 


Copyright,  1 904 
By  Hannah  Rassmussen 


PREFACE 


When  I  felt  that  God  wanted  me  to  write  a  short  sketcli 
of  my  daughter's  Hfe,  it  was  done  with  much  j^rayer,  and 
with  the  desire  that  it  might  go  out  to  bless  the  world,  and 
with  the  expectation  that  it  might  stir  up  its  readers  to  a 
closer  walk  with  God,  and  if  possible  roll  the  burden  of  a  lost 
world  on  young  soldiers,  and  lead  them  to  give  their  lives 
for  the  cause  that  was  on  the  heart  of  our  dear  departed.  If 
this  is  accomplished,  my  labors  will  be  well   rccomjiensed. 

Her  Mother. 


INTRODITTION 


Our  acquaintance  with  Bertha  Rasmussen,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  began  when  she  was  about  eleven  years 
of  age,  through  correspondence,  in  the  interest  of  the 
famine  children  of  India.  A  missionary  spirit  pervaded 
her  hitters,  indicating  that  the  spirit  of  God  was  moving 
on  the  heart  of  the  chikl  in  behalf  of  the  heathen.  Later, 
at  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  B(^rtha  came  with  her 
mother  and  brother  to  the  Vanguard  Missionary  Training 
Home,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  became  an,  efficient  typesetter, 
spending  part*  of  her  time  in  school.  She  was  a  lovely 
Christian  character  and  gave  promise  of  great  usefulness 
for  God.  A  year  later  she  went  to  McGee  Holiness  Col- 
lege, College  Mound,  Mo.,  and  went  home  to  glory  from 
there.  Her  beautiful  life  can  never  cease  to  bear  fruit 
unto  God.  We  trust  this  '"Memoir"  will  be  the  means  of 
bringing  many  to  Jesus. 

Vanguard  Office.  ANNA  AbRAMS. 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 


PUBLISHER'S  NOTE 

Nothing  is  more  helpful  and  inspiring  than  the  life  and 
testimony  of  those  who  in  their  early  years,  in  childlike  sim- 
plicity and  sincerity,  have  fully  given  their  hearts  and  lives 
to  God. 

Bertha's  short  life  was  full  of  loving  service  for  Jesus, 
This  service  was  the  joy  of  her  heart.  She  often  talked 
not  only  of  home  mission  work  but  of  the  foreign  fields, 
and  rejoiced  in  the  thought  of  the  privilege  of  leaving  home, 
friends,  and  native  land  to  give  herself  as  a  living  sacrifice 
to  help  rescue  the  perishing. 

Her  mother  is  an  evangelistic  worker  and  home  mis- 
sionary who  still  lives,  helped  and  inspired  by  the  memory 
of  her  sainted  daughter,  to  carry  on  the  work  that  the 
daughter  has  laid  down.  We  trust  that  this  book  will  lead 
many  young  hearts  to  Jesus,  and  help  many  who  are  already 
His  to  fully  consecrate  their  lives  to  His  service. 

We  pray  the  blessing  of  God  to  rest  on  all  who  are  per- 
mitted to  read  this  book. 

Yours  in  Christian  love, 

S.  B.  Shaw. 

Chicago,  III.,  Nov.  25,  IQ04. 


A  YOUNG  MISSIONARY 

The  subject  of  this  narrative  was  born  June  4,  1885. 
Impressions  were  made  from  her  earhest  existence  that  she 
would  make  a  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  even  from  the 
time  of  babyhood  she  suffered  for  Jesus'  sake.  Various 
instances  come  to  my  mind  now,  which  I  am  obhged  to  keep 
from  the  public. 

At  six  years  of  age  she  was  soundly  converted  to  God. 
She  would  read  her  little  simple  book  explaining  the  Bible, 
and  sing  her  little  songs.  She  would  sing  and  pray,  and 
the  Lord  would  come  to  her  little  heart  in  such  melting 
power.  She  would  weep  and  praise  Jesus  for  His  great 
salvation.  Christian  parents  were  always  anxious  to  have 
her  influence  brought  to  bear  upon  their  children. 

When  nine  years  old  she  was  sanctified.  She  was  raised 
in  an  ungodly  neighborhood,  and  went  to  the  district  school, 
and  came  in  contact  with  everything  the  devil  and  the  world 
had  to  give,  and  did  not  always  keep  clear.  One  night  she 
came  home  from  school  feeling  very  sorry,  the  enemy  hav- 
ing gotten  the  victory,  and  wanted  to  get  right  with  God, 
but  felt  she  must  confess  to  her  mother  before  she  could  get 
clear,  which  she  did,  for  she  always  felt  that  God  was  not 
pleased  to  have  her  keep  anything  from  her  mother.  She 
would  always  say  to  any  one  who  would  tell  her  things  that 
were  not  to  be  told,  "  I  will  not  tell  to  any  but  my  mother. 
I  never  keep  anything  from  her."  I  believe  she  ever  kept 
the  victory  after  that. 

We  always  prayed  together  over  everything,  and  always 
got  the  victory.     The  sweetest  recollections  of  my  life  are 


6  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

the  seasons  I  have  spent  with  my  dear  children  before  the 
Throne  of  Grace  in  those  years  they  were  growing-  up 
around  me. 

Bertha's  godly  judgment  and  counsel  were  remarkable, 
and  became  a  blessing  to  many  and  to  her  own  brother, 
whom  she  helped  to  keep  in  the  way  when  the  enemy  almost 
had  the  victory.  The  first  time  I  remember  was  when  small 
children  going  to  school  she  had  him  go  back  to  school 
and  ask  forgiveness  for  something  he  had  said,  and  so  kept 
him  from  backsliding,  for  all  my  children  were  saved  when 
small.  No  wonder  when  she  went  to  live  with-  Jesus,  he 
prayed  that  her  spirit  might  rest  upon  him  to  keep  him  in 
the  way. 

As  early  as  she  could  read  her  Bible,  she  took  it  for  the 
man  of  her  counsel.  She  kept  the  Sabbath  day,  and  the 
other  commandments,  in  which  she  put  to  shame  many 
old  Christians  who  made  high  professions.  Many  times  she 
came  to  me  with  her  Bible  open  to  some  promise  that  she 
thought  would  encourage  her  in  her  struggles  of  life. 

She  was  a  great  burden-bearer,  and  stood  by  me  from 
her  infancy.  She  had  great  faith  in  God,  and  was  indeed  a 
wrestler,  and  many  victories  did  she  pray  out.  Before  she 
was  in  her  teens  she  got  hold  of  God  for  my  healing.  While 
in  secret  prayer,  God  told  her  He  would  heal  me.  She 
came  in  and  told  me.  We  both  knelt  down,  and  God  healed 
me.  She  believed  all  God  said  in  His  Word.  She  studied 
well  the  subjects  of  sanctification  and  divine  healing.  She 
took  down  many  references,  and  her  Bible  was  well  marked. 
She  was  unselfish,  and  very  thankful  for  the  least  God  gave 
her  to  sustain  life,  and  always  had  an  encouraging  word 
for  everybody,  always  leading  people  to  Jesus,  always  work- 
ing for  Him,   either  with  individuals  or  crowds.     During 


OR   THE   LIFE   OF   BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  7 

camp-meetings  she  would  get  the  children  together,  and 
have  meetings  with  them,  and  lead  them  to  God. 

In  1897,  when  the  great  famine  was  in  India,  her  heart 
was  so  burdened  for  those  starving  children  that  she  took  a 
little  child  to  support.  She  earned  money  by  selling  relig- 
ious papers,  canvassing  one  way  or  another,  and  any  small 
amount  given  her  went  into  her  treasury  for  the  starving 
ones,  until  she  sent  ten  dollars  one  year ;  then  Jesus  took 
the  little  child  to  heaven. 

One  day  on  coming  home  from  canvassing  she  said  she 
had  been  thinking  about  the  child-widows  of  India.  She 
felt  so  blest  and  thankful  to  God  that  she  was  not  born  there, 
and  have  to  be  married  and  sufifer  as  they  did.  In  the  prov- 
idence of  God  a  letter  has  come  to  me  that  she  wrote  about 
this  time.  I  will  copy  it  as  it  came  to  this  country  in  the 
India  IVatchnian:  — 

Here  is  a  letter  for  the  Watchman,  children,  from  a  little  gir! 
who  lives  in  the  United  States  of  America:  "I  am  eleven  years,  old. 
Jesus  has  saved  me  from  sin.  He  is  good  to  me,  and  I  am  going 
to  serve  Him.  He  gives  me  grace  to  do  His  will,  and  -blesses  me. 
When  I  hear  about  the  starving  people,  I  want  to  do  something  for 
them.  I  always  pray  for  them  and  the  missionaries.  When  I  sit 
down  to  the  table,  I  often  think  of  the  people  in  India,  when  I  have 
plenty  to  eat,  and  I  am  very  thankful  for  what  the  Lord  gives  me. 
I  will  send  one  dollar  to  give  to  the  starving  children.  I  wish  I 
could  send  more,  but  I  can  not  now.  I  believe  the  Lord  has  called 
me  to  be  a  missionary  when  I  get  large;  and  if  He  has,  I  will  be 
one.  Yours  in  Christ,  Bertha. 

"  South  Dakota,  U.  S.  A." 

The  two  years  between  1897- 1899  were  years  of  great 
sorrow,  through  which  my  health  went  down  again.  This 
dear  angel,  as  I  will  call  her  (for  she  was  a  wayside  angel. 


8  A  YOUNG   MISSIONARY 

lent  to  me  for  so  short  a  time),  was  a  great  comfort  to  me 
during  this  period.  She  was  twelve  or  thirteen  years  of  age, 
what  most  people  would  call  a  child ;  but  she  was  like  a 
mother  to  me.  She  would  carry  our  common  sorrows  and 
burdens  to  the  Lord,  and  leave  them  there ;  at  least  she 
never  mentioned  any,  but  always  wore  a  shining  face  and 
had  an  encouraging  word  or  some  promise  out  of  the  Bible. 
"  The  Lord  shall  fight  for  you,  and  ye  shall  hold  your  peace," 
was  one  among  her  many  mottoes. 

Aly  other  daughter  taught  school,  and  was  only  at  home 
Saturdays  and  Sundays,  so  my  dear  Bertha  had  to  do  all 
the  waiting  on  me  during  my  sickness.  She  slept  in  an 
adjoining  room  ;  but  if  I  but  spoke  her  name  in  a  common 
tone,  she  would  in  that  minute  be  at  my  side  with  her  shin- 
ing face.  The  only  sleep  I  had  for  a  long  time  was  when 
she  was  on  her  knees  by  me  with  my  hands  in  hers,  praying 
for  me.  She  never  became  an  old  missionary,  but  was  truly 
a  missionary  the  short  time  she  was  with  us  ;  and  although 
she  has  ceased  from  her  labors  here,  I  have  many  proofs 
that  her  work  still  goes  on.  Amid  all  the  sorrow  and  suf- 
fering, of  which  God  alone  knows,  during  those  years,  we 
had  many  refreshing  times  together  in  prayer  to  our  heav- 
enly Father  and  great  Protector,  who  assured  us  of  His 
approval  and  presence,  and  that  He  would  never  leave  nor 
forsake  us.     Hallelujah  to  our  God! 

"  O,  the  cliildren  of  the  Lord  have  a  riglit  to  shout  and  sing. 
For  the  way  is  growing  bright,  and  our  souls  are  on  the  wing." 

Although  our  path  may  be  full  of  thorns  and  briars  to 
entangle,  yet  when  we  have  the  smiles  of  God,  the  way  to 
heaven  is  in  truth  a  delightful  way.    We  find  that  Jesus  did 


CHARLEvS,  BERTHA'S  BROTHER. 


OK   Tllli    LIFE   OF    liFRTIIA    KASMUSSEN 


II 


not  take  all  the  glory  with  Him  when  He  went  to  heaven, 
but  left  some  all  along  the  road  for  us  to  enjoy  as  we  travel 
on.     As  the  poet  says, — 

"  He  has  trod  the  way  before  us 
And  His  glory  lingers  near." 

Carrying  the  burdens  of  the  home  on  her  young  heart, 
she  did  not  fight  with  flesh  and  blood,  but  with  the  powers 
of  darkness,  with  which  we  are  surrounded.  Her  only 
weapon  was  prayer.  I  will  just  mention  one  time  here 
among  the  many.  She  knew  that  something  was  coming. 
She  went  to  the  cornfield  to  talk  to  her  Father  in  heaven, 
with  whom  she  was  so  intimately  acquainted,  and  who  had 
heard  her  prayer  so  many  times,  and  overturned  things, 
and  even  now  had  all  power  in  earth  and  heaven.  She 
\wnt  out  for  secret  prayer,  and  it  was  not  long  before  we 
heard  praises  to  God  and  shouts  of  victory  go  up  from  that 
cornfield  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away.  That  was  a  reaMial- 
lowed  place  to  her.  It  was  where  she  met  her  heavenly 
Father  so  many  times,  and  where  she  put  on  strength  for 
the  battles  of  life.     She  told  me  about  that  later. 

God  saw  fit  in  His  mercy  to  raise  me  up  to  health  once 
more,  and  in  the  providence  of  God  I  went  with  my  son 
to  St.  Louis.  Missouri,  and  left  Bertha  with  her  sister,  who 
was  teaching,  and  in  the  care  of  her  heavenly  Father.  Here 
is  part  of  a  letter  she  wrote  to  Miss  Anna  Abrams,  editor 
of  the  Vanguard,  St.  Louis,  a  little  while  before  I  went 
there,  and  while  I  was  yet  sick :  — 

Miss  Anna  Abrams. 

Dear  Sister  :  Your  letter  was  very  encouraging,  and  mother  felt 
real  good  for  two  or  three  days  after  she  got  it;  but  she  gets  so 


12  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

nervous  sometimes  she  can  not  rest  nor  sleep,  and  she  desires  you 
to  pray  for  her.  There  are  times  she  can  rest  quite  well,  and  again 
she  can  not  rest  at  all,  and  she  is  so  weak  she  can  not  do  anything. 
The  Lord  is  very  near  her,  and  does  hear  our  prayers,  and  she  feels 
better  for  a  while ;  then  she  seems  as  bad  as  ever. 

I  have  a  sister  teaching  school,  and  brother  and  myself  go  to 
school.  Ma  would  like  to  see  you,  but  she  has  not  been  able  to  go 
anywhere  for  a  long  time.  I  praise  the  Lord  to-night  for  salvation. 
It  is  the  best  thing  in  the  world.  I  do  feel  that  the  Lord  saves  and 
sanctifies  me.  It  is  so  good  to  be  saved,  and  know  you  are  ready  to 
live  or  die,  and  that  your  peace  is  made  with  God.  Good-by  for 
this  time.  Your  friend,  Bertha. 

Here  is  a  letter  written  to  her  brother  and  myself  after 
we  went  to  St.  Louis  :  — 

Dear  Mother  and  Charles:  We  were  very  glad  to  receive  your 
letter.  You  got  along  so  well  on  the  way ;  and  we  are  especially 
glad  to  hear  that  you  had  such  a  good  birthday,  and  that  you  got 
healed.  I  feel  to  praise  the  Lord  for  doing  so  much  for  all  of  us. 
He  has  done  a  great  deal  for  each  of  us,  healing  and  sanctifying 
Charles,  and  healing  you,  mother;  blessing  and  helping  us  all.  I 
am  glad  you  are  both  so  well  in  body. 

School  is  out  a  week  from  Friday.  Won't  it  seem  lonesome 
then?  I  get  quite  lonely  sometimes  without  you,  but  I  guess  it 
doesn't  hurt  me.  Bessie  said,  tell  you  that  when  you  needed  more 
money  to  say  so. 

There  was  a  man  around  here  taking  orders  for  liquor.  Isn't  it 
awful?  He  was  not  here,  but  was  all  around.  I  heard  since  the 
Dakota  boys  have  been  down  to  Manila  there  have  been  two  or 
three  hundred  saloons  started ;  not  a  very  good  honor  to  America. 
[She  always  took  an  interest  in  prohibition,  and  influenced  all  she 
could  to  vote  for  it.] 

You  write  often  about  me  coming  down  there  sometime.  Do 
you  really  think  I  can?  I  would  like  to  see  you  awfully  well.  I  am 
still  saved,  sanctified,  and  on  the  way  to  heaven. 

Your  loving.  Bertha. 


Ok    THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  13 

There  are  several  letters  here  which  I  refrain  from  put- 
ting in,  except  she  says,  "  I  would  like  to  see  you  real  well, 
but  I  want  you  to  do  what  the  Lord  wishes."  Also  her 
testimony,  which  runs  like  this :  "  I  am  saved,  sanctified, 
and  the  Lord  blesses  me.  How  I  would  like  to  see  my 
brother  Charles,  the  dear  old  boy." 

May  5. 

Dear  Charles  and  I\1a  :  I  am  at  Bessie's  school  to-day.  Bessie 
was  quite  sick,  and  I  was  going  to  help  her  teach.  1  expect  a  letter 
from  you  folks  to-night.  We  got  to  town  last  night  too  late  for  the 
mail. 

Bessie  writes,  "Bertha  is  teaching  for  me,  now.  You  ought  to 
see  her.  ■  She  would  make  a  fine  teacher.  One  thing  sure,  the 
scholars  would  have  to  know  their  lessons." 

June  2. 

Dear  Ma  and  Charles:  We  went  to  church  last  night.  Sister 
Booker  was  there. 

June  4.— It   is   my   birthday   to-day. 

June  5.—  I  got  up  early  this  morning,  and  worked  steady  all  day. 
I  sat  down  once  or  twice  in  the  afternoon.  The  Lord  wonderfully 
helped  me,  and  although  not  extra  well,  I  did  not  get  very  tired. 
The  folks  are  going  to  have  a  supper  to-night  in  honor  of  my  birth- 
day. Well,  praise  the  Lord,  He  saves  me  from  all  sin,  and  I  would 
sooner  have  Him  than  all  the  world. 

June  6.— Well,  everything  went  off  last  night  as  well  as  could 
be  expected.  The  people  seemed  to  think  they  had  a  nice  time.  I 
got  a  number  of  nice  presents.  I  am  getting  more  interested  in  the 
Bible  all  the  time.  I  believe  the  Lord  is  drawing  me  closer  to  Him. 
Praise  His  name!  I  do  want  to  go  to  camp-meeting.  Praise  the 
Lord  for  salvation,  which  is  the  best  thing  in  the  world.  I  am  quite 
lonesome  this  morning  for  Charles.  I  hope  he  is  getting  along  all 
right. 


14  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

Dearest  motlicr,  I  am  saved,  sanctified,  and  on  the  road  to  heaven. 
Praise  the  Lord.  Bertha. 


I  must  here  refer  back  to  a  Miss  E ,  with  whom  she 

formed  acquaintance  at  a  tent-meeting  previous  to  this,  who 
also  got  saved  at  the  meeting.  Dear  Bertha  went  to  see  her 
many  times,  and  talked  and  prayed  with  her  until  she  got 
really  established  on  the  Rock.  In  the  same  meeting  there 
was  also  a  young  man  who  professed  that  he  was  saved, 

who  paid  considerable   attention  to  this   Miss  E ;   but 

he  was  not  living  the  way  a  Ciiristian  should.    Dear  Bertha 

knowing  this,  informed  Miss  E ,  and  was  the  means  of 

saving  a  Christian  girl  from  among  the  many  who  are  de- 
ceived, thinking  they  are  marrying  a  Christian  man,  but 
only  one  who  simply  professed  religion  long  enough  to  get 
married,  but  they  find  to  their  great  astonishment  they  have 
been  tied  down  to  an  ungodlx'  man.     Bertha  wrote  several 

letters  to  Miss  E ,  but  it  is  now  several  years  ago.     I 

would  be  glad  to  give  them  to  the  readers,  but  do  not  know 
how  to  find  them.  Her  work  was  always  to  help  some  one 
to  Jesus,  and  to  keep  out  of  the  snares  of  the  enemy. 

My  Dearest  Mother  :  I  should  like  to  see  you  very  much,  when 
I  think  how  very  kind  and  good  you  always  were  to  me.  When  I 
go  to  prayer-meeting,  I  pray  and  testify.  I  try  to  live  as  I  should. 
We  are  getting  along  very  nicely.  It  seems  as  though  the  Lord 
has  been  nearer  to  me  since  you  went  away.  It  makes  me  think 
that  He  is  so  good  to  me  to  make  up  for  your  absence.  I  would 
like  to  see  Charles  awfully  well,  so  would  Bessie.  I  would  like  to 
do  more  for  your  comfort  than  I  ever  did  before. 

When  I  get  lonesome  I  go  out  with  Bessie  to  her  school.  I  am 
saved  and  sanctified.  Your  affectionate 

Bertha. 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSfeN  15 

This  dear  child  speaks  of  doing  more  for  my  comfort.  I 
can  not  see  where  she  could  do  more,  for  she  was  at  my  side 
night  and  day  with  a  cheerful  face  and  a  willing  heart,  and 
never  thought  of  her  own  comfort. 

My  Own  Dear  Brother  and  Mother:  The  last  letter  I  wrote 
you  was  on  Saturday.  I  took  Bessie  down  to  Teachers'  Institute 
Monday.  Monday  evening  we  were  over  to  Mr.  H— — 's  a  little 
while.  On  the  road  home  we  felt  lonely  for  you.  I  came  home  alone 
Tuesday  from  Elkpoint  with  Pet  and  Nancy.  .  B. 

Elkpoint  is  thirty  miles  from  where  these  two  sisters 
stayed.  They  had  to  travel  by  team,  as  the  railroad  did  not 
go  direct,  so  they  borrowed  a  fast  team,  and  not  altogether 
safe.  This  young  girl,  just  fourteen  years  old,  going  with 
them  thirty  miles,  shows  what  children  can  do  when  neces- 
sary, and  trust  in  the  Lord  for  protection. 

She  wrote  for  silk  envelopes,  so  she  could  write  to  Bessie 
Sherman  in  India. 

Dear  Mother:   I  guess  A is  coming  up  to   see  me  to-day. 

There  is  hardly  a  day  but  what  we  see  each  other. 

I  guess  Bessie,  Mrs.  G and  her  brother.  A and  I.  will  go 

to  camp-meeting.  I  will  stop,  and  write  in  my  journal,  as  it  is  almost 
ten  o'clock,  and  I  have  to  churn,  bake,  and  do  other  things  to-mor- 
row, so  good-night,  but  not  good-by.     I  am  still  saved. 

As  ever  yours,  Bertha. 

Dearest  Brother:  I  wish  you  could  have  been  at  the  camp- 
meeting  with   us.     It  would  have  done  you  good.     We  got  to  the 

camp-ground  about  six  or  seven  o'clock.     A and  I  did  not  go  to 

church  the  lirst  night,  as  she  did  not  feel  well. 

Brother  Ashcraft,  from  Illinois,  was  present.  I  understood  he 
used  to  be  a  prize-fighter.  He  is  a  splendid  preacher,  the  best  God 
has  ever  permitted  me  to  hear.     One  day  when  he  was  under  con- 


l6  A    VOUNG    MISSIOXARY 

viction,  lie  told  liis  father  he  wanted  to  get  saved,  and  started  to 
meeting  that  afternoon.  On  the  way  he  thonght  about  a  man  he 
had  nearly  killed  because  he  had  insulted  his  father  in  his  presence. 
He  went  to  see  them  on  his  way  to  church,  and  prayed  with  them, 
and  that  man's  wife  got  converted.  Ashcraft  was  sanctified  three 
days  after  he  was  saved,  and  in  seven  days  he  was  in  the  pulpit. 
Camp-meeting  was  out  on  the  fourth.  I  feel  so  good  to-night ;  and 
as  though  I  could  run  through  a  troop  and  leap  over  a  wall.  I 
feel  quite  often  as  though  I  could  do  anything  for  Jesus.  O  Lord, 
help  me.  By  God's  grace  I  will  endeavor  to  do  all  His  will.  What 
if  we  do  have  a  few  trials  here,  heaven  will  be  all  the  sweeter.  I 
do  believe  I  love  Jesus  more  than  anything  else.  I  ought  to.  I  must 
stop  now,  and  read  my  Bible.  I  am  saved,  sanctified,  and  on  my 
way  to  glory.    Amen.  Bertha. 

She  studied  her  Bible,  and  fotind  there  for  herself  the 
principles  by  which  she  formed  her  life.  I  have  had  to  copy 
some  of  these  letters  from  her  jotirnal. 

Dear  Ma  and  Charles:  We  got  a  letter  from  you  to-day,  and 
were  so  glad  to  get  it.  I  hope  there  will  come  a  time  some  day,  if 
the  Lord  wills,  when  we  will  be  together  once  more. 

I  am  to  speak  a  piece  at  the  missionary  meeting  to-morrow 
night. 

I  heard  of  the  storm  in  Minnesota.  The  Lord  has  spared  us  so 
far.  I  hope  He  will  keep  you  safe  from  storms.  I  can  say  the 
Lord  saves,  sanctifies,  and  satisfies  me,  and  I  am  ready  to  meet  Him 
Praise  His  name.  I  must  stop,  and  read  my  Bible.  I  am  glad  that 
man  didn't  shoot  you.     Did  you  give  him  a  tract?     He  needed  one. 

Your   most   loving,   affectionate,   but    far-away   sister. 

She  says  in  her  journal:  — 

We  received  a  letter  from  Charles,  saying  that  his  eyes  were 
giving  out  setting  type,  and  that  he  would  come  home  soon  for  p 
rest.  I  hope  his  eyes  will  get  no  worse,  (iod  help  him.  If  it 
be  God's  will  for  Charles  to  come  home,  I  will  l)e  awfully  glad. 


OR    THE    LIFE    OF    I'.EKTIIA    KASMUSSEN  17 

The  grove  meeting  will  commence  Friday  night,  if  tlie  Lord  is 
willing.  I  am  saved,  sanctified,  asd  satisfied  witli  the  way.  "  Be 
thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  O 
glory !       "  The  Lord  is  my  Shepherd ;  I  shall  not  want." 

Dear  Ma  :   Charles  came  home  Thursday,  safe  and  sound.     We 

were  very  glad  to  see  him.     He  is  working  for  Air.  D .     I  have 

thought  it  would  be  very  nice  indeed  to  see  you  again  goon.  Charles 
spoke  about  me  going  down  there.  If  I  thought  it  was  God's  will, 
and  He  opened  the  way  for  me  to  go,  I  would  be  willing. 

I  am  going  to  send  "  Traffic  in  Girls  "  to  Miss  .     She  ran  off 

with  a  man  awhile  ago.  They  telegraphed  after  her,  and  brought 
her  home.     I  hope  the  book  will  do  her  good.     Poor  girls! 

Much  love  to  you  from  your  affectionate  daughter.      Bertha. 

From  her  journal :  — 

I  believe  it  is  God's  will  that  I  should  get  a  thorough  education, 
and  use  it  for  His  glory.  I  would  gladly  do  so  if  it  be  His  will,  and 
He  opens  the  way.  "  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give 
you  a  crown  of  life."     O  glory!     I  mean  to  by  God's  grace. 

Much  love  to  you.  Bertha. 

Dear  Ma  :  I  guess  Alice  will  go  to  the  seminary  this  fall. 
Charles's  eyes  seem  to  be  much  better.  He  seems  to  expect  me  to 
go  with  him  when  he  returns  to  the  Missionary  Home  in  St.  Louis. 
The  Lord  only  knows  what  will  become  of  me.  I  am  saved,  sancti- 
fied, and  real  satisfied  with  the  way.  I  believe  I  love  Jesus  more 
than  anything  else.     I  want  to  serve  Him  all  the  time.  .  .  . 

The  darkest  hour  is  just  before  the  dawn.  When  you  are  in  the 
dark,  look  not  at  the  night,  but  for  the  dawn.  Bertha. 

Dear  Ma  :  I  am  going  to  tell  you  some  of  ray  thoughts.  I  believe 
it  is  God's  will  that  I  should  get  a  thorough  education,  and  use  it 
for  His  glory.  I  will  gladly  do  so  if  it  be  His  will.  I  don't  see 
where  I  would  get  that  kind  of  an  education,  but  if  it  is  God's 
will,  I  know  He  will  open  the  way.  Praise  His  holy  name.  T  would 
like  to  see  you,  and  have  one  of  our  old-time  talks. 


l8  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

I  have  started  a  book  of  my  own,  and  have  written  four  chap- 
ters.    It  is  to  be  a  temperance  book. 

What  kind  of  a  school  have  they  down  there  in  St.  Louis?  Is 
it  anything  like  a  high  school?  If  it  is,  I  would  like  well  enough 
to  go  down  there,  if  it  be  God's  will,  this  winter.  I  would  like 
very  much  if  you  would  tell  me  what  you  think  of  all  I  have  said.  I 
would  like  to  see  you  very  much,  but  I  want  God's  will,  and  His 
alone,  to  be  done.  Glory  to  His  name!  "Be  thou  faithful  unto 
death,  and  1  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  O  glory  !  I  am  all 
God's.  1  want  more  of  Him.  You  always  used  to  talk  about  your 
life  being  wasted,  but  I  am  sure  it  was  not.  I  don't  know  what  I 
would  have  done,  if  it  were  not  for  a  Christian  mother,  and  I 
know  she  was  a  Christian.  I  never  expect  you  to  come  back  here. 
I  would  like  to  see  you  awfully  well,  but  I  don't  want  you  to  again 
go  through  what  you  have.  When  I  think  about  other  girls,  I  can 
not  but  praise  the  Lord  that  I  was  brought  up  right.  God's  mercy 
has  been  so  great.  I  am  sure  you  are  not  against  a  good  educa- 
tion. Take  time  some  day,  and  sit  down  and  write  me  a  long  letter. 
I  would  be  glad  to  get  it.  I  don't  know  whether  I  am  called  to  be 
a  missionary  or  not.  Have  you  any  idea  where  I  could  get  a  good 
education?  Well,  good-night,  dear  mother;  leave  yourself  in  Jesus' 
hand,  as  I  used  to  tell  you.  I  am  ready  to  live  or  die,  praise  the 
Lord.  Charles  says  he  expects  to  come  down  there  pretty  soon, 
and  bring  all  he  can  with  him.  I  will  send  you  a  little  poetry.  It 
isn't   very  good. 

To  My  Dear  Mother. 

'Tis  a   dismal  autumn's  evening, 

And  the  clouds  are  gray  as  lead, 
While  the  wind   is  softly  blowing, 

And  the  skies  are  dark  o'erhead. 

[I  will  take  my  pen  and  paper, 

And  to  you  a  few  lines  write, 
Of  the  future,  of  the  present. 

Of  the  day  and  of  the  night  ] 


OR   THE    LIFK    Ol'    I'.KRTIIA    KASMUSSKN  IQ 

I've  lu'cn  lliiiikiiii;  of  liio  winedrops 

That  have  fallon  in  the  rue; 
O  may  God  forever  guide  you, 

Guard  you  through  this  world  so  hlue. 

Through  its  darkness  and  its  sunshine, 

Through  its  losses  and  its  gains, 
Through,  O  through  this  stormy  warfare. 

May  He  guide  you  to  His  home. 

There  to  praise  His  name  forever. 

And  adore  His  blessed  face; 
May  I  catch  one  glimpse  of  sunshine. 

That  shall  bless  that  blessed  race. 

And  while  trials  and  temptations 

May  oppress  your  weary  way; 
Fight  on,  toil  on,   don't  give  over. 

Don't  give  up,  but  zvin  the  day. 

For  there's  victory  awaiting 

All  who  run  this  race  safe  home; 
And  bright  stars  that's  everlasting 

Shall  adorn  your  blissful  crown. 

Bertha. 

"  O  God,  our  help  in  ages  past. 
Our  hope  for  years  to  come. 
Our  shelter  from  the  stormy  blast. 
And  our  eternal  home !  " 

Dear  Ma:   Thank  you  for  your  letter.     A is  going  to  the 

Seminary.  Charles  is  going  back  to  St.  Louis  next  month.  I  guess 
I  will  go  too.  You  will  have  the  pleasure  of  meeting  two  at  the 
depot  instead  of  one.  1  would  like  to  see  you  awfully  well.  T  think 
I  will  take  a  peep  at  you  in  about  a  month  if  I  can.  1  don't  know 
as  I  can  ^^et  away,  ])ut  1  l)e]icve  1  ought  to  go  down  there.     1  have 


20  •  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

praj-ed  about  it,  and  I  feel  impressed  tliat  I  out;ht  to  go.  I  am  sure 
I  don't  know  what  for,  as  I  don't  tliink  I  am  called  to  be  a  foreign 
missionary.  I  have  not  given  up  my  writing.  I  have  felt  lots  of 
times  I  would  sometime  write  something  that  would  do  the  world 
good.  I  don't  believe  my  life  will  be  thrown  away.  I  mean  h<  do 
something  for  fallen  humanity.  I  believe  this  is  God's  will  concern- 
ing me.  I  have  prayed  about  these  things.  I  do  not  care  in  the 
least  for  worldly  fame  or  honor,  but  I  want  to  do  something.  The 
Lord  has  told  me  lots  of  things  as  plain  as  you  could  tell ;  that  He 
would  not  promise  me  the  honor  of  the  world,  or  a  great  fame,  but 
that  I  should  do  the  world  some  good ;  and  that  last,  but  not  least, 
I  should  have  a  glorious  end,  and  be  with  Him  forever.  He  has 
told  me  that  several  times.  I  thank  you  for  getting  the  Bible.  I 
hope  you  do  not  think  I  am  shirking  what  I  ought  to  do,  and  trying 
to  do  something  else.  Charles  wants  me  to  go  down  with  him.  I 
would  like  to  go  and  stay  while  school  lasted,  and  then  come  back 
and  stay  with  Bessie  next  summer  until  school  starts  again.  If  the 
Lord  wants  me  to  come.  He  will  open  the  way.  Praise  God.  T  would 
sooner  part  with  everything  than  Jesus.  O  glory  !  I  know  God  is 
my  father  and  Jesus  is  my  elder  brother.  "  Be  thou  faithful  unto 
death,  and  I   will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  Berth.v. 

Journal,  Oct.   1899. —  St.  Louis   life.     Here  I   am   in  the  grand 
city  of  St.  Louis.     O  how  I  hated  to  leave  Bessie  and  Alice. 

My  Dear  Affectionate  Sister  A :   When  I   left  Beresford, 

I  felt  miserable  until  I  got  to  Hawarden.  I  thought  if  I  only  could 
have  you  and  Bessie  with  me  about  ten  minutes,  I  would  give  almost 
anything.  You  have  been  just  like  a  sister  to  me.  We  got  off  the 
train  at  Hawarden  to  sign  some  permit  papers,  and  we  changed  cars 
at  Alton,  and  went  straight  from  there  to  Council  Bluffs,  where  we 
changed  again  for  Omaha.  Charles  was  quite  nervous  at  first.  All 
I  had  to  do  was  to  keep  up  with  him.  I  love  traveling.  Perhaps 
you  can  imagine  the  conductor  coming  into  our  car  and  saying, 
"  Change  cars  for  Omaha."  We  rush  out,  me  following  Charles, 
and  doing  my  best  to  keep  up  with  him.  We  walk  along  until  we 
come  to  a  policeman.     Charles  rushes  up  to  him,  saying,  "  Which  car 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  21 

for  Omaha  ?  "  He  says,  "  Straight  ahead."  We  go  into  a  kind  of  a 
building  where  the  cars  are,  and  get  helped  by  a  negro,  who  is  the 
porter,  into  a  dusty-looking  car.  Well,  we  started,  and  soon  came 
to  the  Missouri  River,  and  crossed  it.  The  train  stopped  when  we 
were  half  way  over  it,  I  don't  know  why,  but  we  got  across  it  all 
right.  It  was  just  beautiful.  We  could  see  the  fair  grounds  from 
there,  and  it  was  all  lighted  up,  and  you  could  see  a  long  way  from 
Omaha.  We  got  there  about  11:30  p.  m.  We  entered  the  finest 
depot  I  ever  saw.  I  had  not  seen  St.  Louis  then.  It  was  n6t  our 
depot,  so  we  couldn't  stay  there.  We  struck  out  to  find  a  hotel.  We 
went  up-stairs  and  between  some  l)eautiful  pillars,  and  looked  out 
over  tile  city.  A  darkey  from  the  depot  came  up,  and  said  he  would 
take  us  to  the  hotel.-  It  was  only  a  little  way,  so  he  took  some  of 
the  things  I  was  carrying,  and  took  us  where  we  stayed  all  night. 
We  got  a. double  room,  and  liad  our  door  locked.  There  were  doors 
we  could  shut  so  it  would  make  two  rooms,  so  we  got  along  all 
right.  We  got  up  next  morning,  had  our  breakfast,  went  to  the 
depot,  and  waited  until  3:00  p.  m.  After  we  got  on  tlie  train,  we 
d'ld  not  have  to  change  any  more.  We  were  in  a  chair  car.  We 
could  let  the  seats  back  so  it  would  be  almost  like  a  bed.  They  are 
just  fine.  We  traveled  all  night.  I  was  asleep  when  we  Went 
through  Kansas  City  and  Jefiferson  City.  We  arrived  at  St.  Louis 
in  the  morning.  Ma  was  at  the  depot.  I  unpacked  my  trunk  in  the 
forenoon,  and  in  the  afternoon  we  went  down-town  to  buy  a  wed- 
ding present  for  Bessie:  We  went  into  a  store  where  they  elevate 
people  up  to  different  stories  where  they  have  different  departments. 
In  the  elevator  you  go  right  through  the  air.  You  feel  like  your 
head  would  come  off  when  they  stop.  Yesterday  we  went  down  to 
the  depot.  Oh,  it  is  just  lovely.  I  heard  it  covered  one  block. 
You  can  see  all  over  the  city  from  the  tower.  They  say  it  is  the 
finest  in  the  world.  The  people  here  are  very  friendly.  I  am  stil! 
saved,  just  the  same  girl  I  used  to  be.  I  got  Anna  Sherman  and 
Ethel  Ward's  pictures.     I  must  close. 

Your  true  affectionate  sister,  Bertha. 

P.  S. —  People  may  think  it  funny  that  I  call  you  sister.     I  do  it 
because  we  have  been  just  like  sisters. 


22  A    YOUiXG    MLSSIONAKV 

Dear   B and   J :   Well,   how   are  you?     Yesterday   I   set 

some  type.  I  did  it  quite  well,  to  my  own  notion.  Prayer-bell  has 
now  rung,  and  I  must  go.  I  have  just  been  up  setting  type.  You 
can  hear  the  trains  here  all  the  time.  We  had  a  street-meeting 
last  night.  We  went  out  again  to-night  to  have  one.  I  am  saved 
and  sanctified.  W^ishing  you  all  the  blessing  God  has,  I  remain, 
Your  affectionate  sister,  Bertha. 

Dear  Si.ster  A :  I  have  been  setting  type.    Sisters  M and 

L expect  to  go  to  India  this  fall.      This  is  an  awful  busy  place. 

"  When  the  golden  sun  is  setting, 
And  your  mind  from  study's  free, 
In  your  wandering  thoughts,  dear  Alice, 
Will  you  deign  to  think  of  me?" 

I  have  set  type  since  eight  o'clock.  It  is  almost  twelve  now.  I 
just  love  Sunnyside,  because  it  was  there  we  got  acquainted  and 
played  together,  and  learned  to  love  and  trust  each  other.  I  do  not 
believe  I  could  love  a  sister  better  than  I  do  you.  Words  can  not 
express  the  happiness  I  have  had  in  your  company.  It  makes  me 
homesick  as  I  look  back  over  those  days,  but  I  expect  to  see  you 
next  summer.     I  think  I  will  go  to  a  mission  to-night. 

Well,  Alice,  it  is  now  Monday  morning.  Charles,  ma,  and  I  and 
several  of  the  girls  here  went  to  the  Mission  Saturday  night.  We 
had  such  a  nice  walk.  The  streets  were  all  light,  and  cable  street- 
cars running  almost  everywhere.  Oh,  it  was  such  a  pretty  sight  to 
see  the  city  at  night.  How  I  wish  you  could  have  been  along.  It 
was  quite  a  distance  from  here,  so  we  had  a  fine  walk.  You  have 
to  be  careful  in  a  large  city,  or  you  will  be  run  over  with  cars. 
Yesterday  we  had  a  missionary  meeting  at  the  Mission.  While  com- 
ing home  we  saw  a  fine  carriage,  and  a  coachman  all  in  uniform 
like  a  policeman,  and  inside  the  carriage  was  a  bridal  party.  Just 
a  little  after  came  a  hearse  in  charge  of  a  man  in  uniform.  I 
thought  what  a  different  picture.  The  city  of  St.  Louis  is  beautiful 
in  some  i)laces.     I  am  still  saved. 

Your  Irne  and  affectionate  sister,  Bektha. 


OR    THE    LIFE    OF    liERTllA    KASMUSSEN  25 

Dear  B- and  J :  It  is  snowing  now,  the  first  we  have  had. 

It  does  look  so  prett}-.  Ma  and  I  went  to  the  Mission  ^Monday 
night,  and  as  ma  was  tired,  we  took  a  street-car.  It  was  the  first 
time  I  was  ever  in  one. 

Yesterday  instead  of  having  grammar  and  physiology  we  went 
down  town  to  a  store,  where  they  have  a  skeleton,  to  examine  it. 
Oh,  we  had  such  a  fine  time.  Charles  and  I  and  some  other  hoys 
and  girls  went  through  the  depot  and  out  into  the  city.  The  skeleton 
was  on  Olive  and  Twelfth  Streets.  We  passed  the  City  Hall.  The 
Hall  and  lawn  covers  a  block.  All  the  way  along  things  were  so 
pretty.  At  last  we  got  there,  and  looked  at  it  awhile,  and  started 
home.  On  our  way  we  went  to  see  the  Four  Courts,  where  they 
try  and  condemn  prisoners.  We  saw  through  a  door  where  the 
prison  cells  were,  where  they  march  in,  where  they  stood,  and  where 
the  judge  stood.  We  also  went  to  the  morgue,  where  they  put  dead 
people  whom  they  don't  know.  They  have  them  there  a  long  time. 
If  people  commit  suicide  or  get  murdered,  that  is  where  they  put 
them  until  some  one  comes  and  claims  them.  There  was  only  one 
man  there.  He  was  not  a  bad-looking  man,  and  looked  as  if  he  had 
been  drowned.  He  was  covered  with  blankets  and  his  clothes  lay 
beside  him.     I  looked  at  him  quite  a  while,  and  it  made  me  think  di 

.     It  made  such  an  impression  on  me,  I  almost  wish  I  had  not 

gone  in.  Your  sister, 

Bertha. 

Journal. —  I  am  saved  and  sanctified.     Well,   Sister  M and 

L are  on  their  way  to  New  York.     They  will  sail  from  there 

Nov.    15.     Last  Sunday  several  others  and  myself  went  to  hold  a 

street   meeting.     Sister  took   us   to  a   street  where  there  were 

saloons  and  houses  of  ill-fame  all  around.  We  first  knelt,  and 
asked  God  to  bless  and  save  them.  When  meeting  was  over,  we 
passed  around  tracts  to  the  girls  in  their  windows.  We  passed 
tracts  on  the  way  home.    We  had  such  a  good  time. 

I  guess  Charles  and  I  will  go  to  the  river  to-morrow.  I  have 
been  setting  type  four  hours,  excepting  ten  minutes.  I  am  just  wait- 
ing for  ma  and  Charles  to  go  to  the  Alission  with  me.  The  Home 
got  some  letters  a   short  time  ago  telling  of  a   fearful   landslide  in 


26  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

India,   and  about   Brother   and   Sister   and   six   children   being 

killed.  O  how  they  must  have  felt!  but  they  have  just  gone  before. 
I  believe  my  work  is  in  the  United  States  for  a  while  yet  anyway. 
The  Lord  pardons  all  my  sins,  and  His  blood  cleanses  my  heart, 
and  I  am  on  the  road  to  glory.  To-day  has  been  a  busy  one,  but  I 
am  not  very  tired.  "  Though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil:  for  thou  art  with  me;  thy  rod 
and  thy  staff  they  comfort   me."     Hallelujah  to  Jesus. 

Nov.  13,  1899. —  Glory  to  the  Almighty  God  this  morning,  who 
saves,  sanctifies,  and  satisfies.  Yesterday  morning  we  had  a  good 
sermon.  In  the  afternoon  we  girls  and  two  brothers  went  to  the 
^Mission,  and  had  a  good  holiness  meeting.  On  our  way  home  we 
stopped  and  had  a  street  meeting.  Last  night  ma,  myself,  and 
another  girl  were  at  the  INlission.  Had  quite  a  good  sermon.  A 
funeral  procession  passed  here  a  while  ago.  I  counted  forty-seven 
carriages  besides  the  hearse  and  a  few  common  buggies.  Some  soul 
had  been  called  to  stand  before  God  to  give  an  account  of  his  works, 
whether  good  or  evil. 

Nov.  15. —  I  am  saved,  and  on  my  way  to  heaven.  I  put  all 
my  trust  in  Jesus.  We  were  all  at  the  Mission  last  night.  Praise 
God,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 

Dear  Bertha,  tinder  all  circumstances,  was  working  and 
praying  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  She  says  of  some,  "  My 
heart  cries  to  God,  Oh,  save  them  before  it  is  too  late.  You 
know  whether  you  can  or  not.  Oh,  if  they  were  only  ready 
to  meet  Thee.  Oh  may  God  save  them  in  the  end.  if  He 
can." 

Nov.  19,  1899. — Well,  we  were  at  the  river  yesterday  afternoon. 
We  took  the  street-cars.  When  we  came  to  the  bridge,  we  saw  the 
river  and  some  nice  boats  on  it.  It  was  not  a  very  bright  day,  but 
we  had  a  very  good  time,  and  I  got  the  long-wished  pleasure  of  see- 
ing the  longest  river  in  the  world.  ]\la  went  on  across  the  bridge 
to  East   St.   Louis,  III.,   where   she  will  stay  a  couple  of  days   with 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    DERTHA    RASMUSSEN  27 

some  friends.  Charles  and  I  walked  home,  so  we  could  see  more. 
On  our  way  Charles  related  a  story  of  a  young  man  who  stood  on 
top  of  the  cars  while  it  went  under  the  bridge,  and  was  hurled 
down  under  the  car  wheels.  His  head  was  severed  from  his  body, 
his  hands  cut  off,  and  he  was  a  corpse.  Oh,  how  quickly  God  can 
sweep  us  out  of  existence.  It  is  of  great  importance  that  we  do  all 
in  our  power  for  lost  souls.  Oh,  God  help  us  to  do  our  duty,  so 
that  when  we  stand  before  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead,  we  may  be 
able  to  say  their  blood  is  not  upon  us. 

A  girl  here  in  the  Home  was  gloriously  sanctified  last  night.  She 
was  in  our  room.  We  had  such  a  wonderful  time.  She  fell,  and 
lay  for  three  hours,  but  came  to,  praising  God.  We  do  have  good 
times  here.     I  got  so  blest  last  night. 

Dear  Alice:  We  may  have  dark  days  in  our  lives,  but  let  our 
lives  be  firm  and  true  to  all  our  aims  and  duties.  I  do  not  know 
what  our  future  will  be,  or  anything  about  it.  God  is  His  own 
designer,  and  He  will  make  it  plain.  I  hope  that  as  we  part,  it  will 
not  be  forever.  If  we  do  not  meet  on  earth,  O  may  we  meet  in 
heaven.  Your  own  true  friend.  Bertha. 

Dear  A :   I  got  your  welcome  letter  this  morning.     A  thief 

stole  Charles's  coat  and  mackintosh.  For  awhile  I  had  quite  a  fever. 
Ma  and  I  prayed,  and  I  rested  well  the  rest  of  the  night.  I  got  up 
about  ten  o'clock  this  morning.  I  went  to  the  store  for  some  things, 
and  had  a  nice  walk.  One  day  another  girl  and  I  were  down  on 
Hickory  Street  to  see  a  sick  woman.     Last  Sunday  about  ten  of  the 

workers   had   a   street   meeting   on    Choteau   Avenue.      Sister   S 

and  I  have  just  been  down  to  see  that  woman  on  Hickory  Street. 
When  we  were  on  the  bridge  coming  back,  we  saw  the  colored  chil- 
dren coming  from  school.  Such  a  host  of  them !  One  girl  fell  down 
on  the  track,  and  the  street-car  was  coming  full  blast.  She  scam- 
pered ofif  just  in  time.  The  car  stopped,  and  they  picked  her  things 
up,  but  she  had  a  narrow  escape. 

I  have  not  worked  in  the  ofifice  to-day,  or  done  anything.     I  am 

going  to  the  poor-house  with  Sister  W to  sing.     Sister  L 

and  I  went  to  the  City  Hospital.     We  took  two  Bibles  each,  and 


28  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

went  to  the  Woman's  Ward.  I  went  and  talked  to  one.  She  said 
she  was  an  orphan,  and  had  earned  her  own  living  ever  since  she 
was  ten  years  old.  She  was  now  twenty-one.  Her  only  brother 
was  killed  on  the  railroad  three  years  ago,  so  she  is  left  without 
friends  or  home.  She  had  lived  in  Chicago,  and  had  just  come  to 
St.  Louis.  She  was  roblied  by  a  man  a  few  days  ago  on  her  way 
home  from  her  work.  After  taking  her  wages,  he  had  kicked  her 
so  she  fainted  and  was  found  unconscious.  I  heard  a  bell  toll.  She 
said,  "  It  makes  me  shiver  every  time  I  hear  that  bell."  "  Why,"  I 
asked.  She  said,  "  They  are  carrying  an  inmate  to  the  dead-house 
when  they  ring  that  bell."  It  tolled  twice  while  I  was  talking  with 
her,  and  that  was  not  over  thirty  minutes.  She  said  about  twenty 
died  each  day.  O,  how  awful !  in  one  hospital  alone !  and  no  one 
knows  how  many  are  not  prepared.  She  told  me  that  every  one 
in  the  ward  had  friends  come  to  see  them  but  her,  and  that  it  nearly 
broke  her  heart.  Poor  girl,  I  told  her  that  God  loved  her,  and  that 
she  was  my  sister.  She  cried.  I  spoke  a  few  words  of  sympathy 
and  love,  gave  her  a  Bible,  and  a  Vanguard,  then  shook  hands,  and 
kissed  her  good-by.  I  don't  expect  to  meet  her  on  earth  again,  but 
hope  to  in  heaven.  She  pressed  my  hand,  and  begged  me  to  come 
again.  I  warned  her  of  deceivers  in  trying  to  find  work.  She 
expects  to  leave  the  hospital  in  a  few  days  without  a  cent,  no  place 
to  go,  no  friends  and  no  home.  How  many  are  even  worse  than 
this  one !  I  talked  to  some  others.  We  then  went  down  where  they 
hold  meeting,  but  it  had  just  broke  up,  so  we  stood  at  the  door  and 
gave  out  tracts.  We  then  started  for  home ;  went  into  three  saloons, 
and  handed  out  tracts.  I  do  love  to  do  something  for  some  one  else. 
It  is  a  very  nice  day,  and  everything  looks  so  bright,  even  the  future 
itself. 

I  just  got  that  Christmas  card  from  you,  dearest  A .     I  will 

now  tell  you  what  Sister  L and  I  did  yesterday.     She  had  some 

Bibles  to  take  to  the  poor-house,  and  wanted  me  to  go  with  her; 
so  after  dinner  we  started.  We  took  the  car,  and  after  a  little 
passed  Shaw's  Garden.  It  is  like  a  park,  and  we  saw  some  pretty 
things.  The  conductor  came  and  showed  us  the  hospital,  crematory, 
and  insane  asylum.  We  soon  stopped  at  the  poor-house,  ami  a 
girl  took  us  through,  and  we  gave  out  our  Bibles  and  tracts.     After 


ok   THE    LIFE    OF    UERTllA    RASMUSSEN  29 

doing  all  we  thought  we  could  in  the  poor-house,  we  walked  up  to 
die  hospital,  and  looking  down  the  crematory  we  saw  they  were 
;rematin^  a  body,  and  desiring  to  see,  we  entered  the  place  where 
the  minister  was  preaching.  There  were  carriages  and  coachmen 
waiting  outside.  The  preacher  was  preaching,  a  boy  was  at  the 
organ,  and  there  was  what  looked  like  a  very  large  casket  with  some 
/ery  pretty  flowers  on  it.  All  this  time  we  were  wondering  where 
chey  were  burning  the  man.  He  had  been  in  the  casket,  but  we 
iearned  that  he  was  cremated  right  under  where  the  man  stood 
A'hile  preaching.  We  went  down-stairs  and  saw  that  the  ashes  were 
put  in  jars,  and  there  were  friends  down  there  weeping  over  one 
jar,  so  we  supposed  the  ashes  of  this  one  were  in  that  one.  These 
jars  were  kept  locked  in  vaults  about  a  foot  square  in  the  walls. 
Cremating  seems  awful  to  me  now  since  I  saw  the  building.  We 
went  to  the  insane  asylum,  but  could  not  get  in  that  day,  so  we 
started  for  home.  We  went  into  one  saloon  on  our  way.  Well,  dear, 
I  wish  you  God's  richest  blessing.  Gnod-by.  I  am  still  saved.  Glory 
to  Jesus.  Yours,  Bertha. 

Journal. —  To-day  is  Thanksgiving  day,  and  I  have  a  great  deal 
to  thank  the   Lord   for.     Hallelujah! 


Dec.  13. —  It  has  been  some  time  since  T  wrote  in  my  journal,  and 
a  great  many  things  have  happened.  I  was  sick  the  week  of 
rhank.sgiving,  but  God  healed  me  and  set  me  going.  Praise  His 
dear  name. 

Several  of  us  went  to  the  Four  Courts  last  Sunday  to  meeting.  T 
saw  one  girl  sitting  at  the  door  of  her  cell,  and  during  the  singing 
.^he  cried.  I  pitied  her  so.  She  looked  so  young,  I  think  not  more 
than  seventeen  or  eighteen  years  old.  I  looked  at  her  almost 
more  than  at  the  preacher.  They  had  guards  stationed  all  around, 
and  just  as  soon  as  the  ser\ice  was  over  we  had  to  leave.  Then 
.some  of  us  went  to  the  mission,  the  rest  to  the  river  distributing 
tracts.  I  saw,  for  the  first  time  in  my  life,  a  steamer  come  to  shore 
and  anchor.     We  got  home  about  dark. 


30  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

One  of  the  girls  went  away  last  night.  Before  she  went,  we 
were  in  her  room,  and  prayed  together.  We  had  a  good  time.  I 
can  testify  to  the  saving,  cleansing  power  jnst  now.  I  .know  the 
hlood  of  Jesus  cleanses  me  from  all  sin.  Jesus  is  a  friend  that 
sticketh  closer  than  a  brother.  Praise  God,  Amen.  I  have  a  sure 
title  to  a  mansion  in  the  skies  to-night,  and  God  is  my  Father  and 
Jesus  is  my  elder  brother. 

Dec.  15. —  To-day  has  been  a  busy  day,  but  God  has  been  with 
us.  Praise  His  name.  It  is  quite  cold  now,  which  makes  it  dis- 
agreeable to  write  in  a  cold  room.  Praise  God  for  a  full  and  free 
.salvation.  The  devil  would  try  to  afflict  a  per.son  one  way  or  an- 
other, but  I  believe  God  will  keep  me  healed  from  'everything  if  I 
keep  my  trust  in  Mim.  Praise  Jesus  I  know  He  saves  and  cleanses 
me.  Amen.  Hallelujah  to  God.  I  am  Thine,  O  Lord.  Amen  to 
our  God,  who  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth. 

Dec  17. — Thank  God  for  a  nice  sunny  day.     Sister  A and  I 

went  to  visit  a  sister  yesterday,  and  on  our  way  home  we  visited  a 
poor  wash-woman.  She  said  she  thought  two  or  three  of  her  oldest 
children  could  come  to  Sunday-school.  I  will  go  after  them  next 
Sunday,  if  all  is  well.  She  had  lieen  married  twice,  but  her  second 
husband  was  so  bad  to  her  and  the  children  that  she  told  him  to  go. 
She  has  five  children.  She  has  had  to  fight  it  out  ever  since.  How 
many  ruin  their  lives  by  marrying  reckless  men.  We  prayed  with 
her,  then  left.  God  has  helped  me  to  do  some  good  by  going  after 
Sunday-school  children.  I  thank  Him  for  the  opportunity.  I  praise 
God  for  full  salvation  through  the  blood  of  Jesus.  Hallelujah  to 
God  forever  and  ever,  for  His  mercy  endureth  forever. 

The  other  day  when  we  were  at  the  hospital  I  saw  and  talked 
with  a  woman  who  had  dropsy.  I  fear  she  was  near  death's  door. 
We  gave  out  tracts  and  Bibles.  Talked  to  a  couple  of  fallen  girls, 
and  went  home  with  the  prayer  on  my  heart,  "  O  God,  bless  and 
help  all  the  homeless  all  over  the  world  who  know  not  of  the 
gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  When  I  look  at  others,  I  feel 
very  grateful  for  all  God  has  done  for  me.  O  glory  to  God  forever 
and  ever. 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  3I 

Dec.  26. —  Well,  Christmas  has  come  and  gone, —  the  day  we 
keep  in  memory  of  the  blessed  Jesus  who  died  to  save  us  from  al) 
sin.     I  am  glad  I  can  testify  to  the  saving  grace  of  God. 

Yesterday  a  band  of  ten  workers,  Charles  and  myself  included 
got  up  at  3:30  A.  M.,  and  as  is  their  custom,  went  around  singing 
Christmas  songs  for  some  of  their  friends  and  others  before  they 
are  out  of  bed.  We  started  in  silent  procession,  two  by  two,  to  Mr 
's,  a  man  who  gave  the  money  for  two  turkeys. 

I  will  tell  a  little  incident  of  God's  remembrance  of  us.  A  woman 
sent  a  dollar  to  be  used  for  our  Christmas  dinner,  but  as  we  had 
the  other  two  dollars  that  was  not  to  be  used  for  anything  else,  we 
took  a  vote,  and  decided  it  should  go  towards  renting  a  hall  for 
meetings.  Well,  that  same  afternoon  three  girls  came,  not  know 
ing  anything  about  the  Home,  with  a  whole  lot  of  things,  as  they 

said,  to  go  with  Mr.  's  turkeys.     So  you  see  we  got  more  than 

our  dollar  "^back.  To  go  on  with  my  story,  we  moved  quietly  along 
until  we  came  to  — —  Street,  turned  east,  then  went  just  a  little  way 
to  his  house.  The  night-watch  saw  us,  and  after  following  us  a  few 
feet,  asked  us  if  we  were  going  to  storm  them.  We  told  him  we 
were  just  going  to  sing  some  for  them,  as  it  was  Christmas  morn 
ing.  He  laughed,  and  told  us  where  to  stand  so  they  could  best  hear 
us.  He  said,  "  It  would  be  a  joke  if  they  would  not  hear  us,"  and 
jiassed  on.  We  started  "  Joy  to  the  world,  the  Lord  has  come."  and 
in  a  little  while  we  saw  a  light  in  their  room,  and  they  opened  the 
window,  and  said,  "  Merry  Christmas."  We  sang  two  more  songs 
repeated  the  one  hundredth  Psalm,  and  then  left.     When  we  came 

to  S Avenue,  we  sang  "  Joy  to  the  World  "  again.     Then  went 

home,  and  dropped  Sister out  of  the  band.    The  rest  of  us  wen« 

on,  and  sang  at  two  more  places  before  returning.     We  had  walked 
a  good  deal,  but  had  a  nice  time. 

Dec.  31. —  This  hour  finds  us  on  the  verge  of  a  new  year;  not 
only  a  new  year,  but  a  new  century.  As  we  look  back  over  the  past 
years,  we  are  made  to  say  in  amazement  and  thankfulness,  "  What 
hath  God  wrought." 

We  will  but  take  a  look  into  the  past  century.  The  .first  wonder- 
ful event  we  will  mention  took  place  between   1860-1865.     Around 


32  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

i860  it  seemed  as  if  the  grand  God-favored  nation,  United  States, 
would  be  rent  and  go  into  the  ground.  They  were  on  the  verge  of 
a  terrible  Civil  War.  The  Southerners  were  set  on  having  slaves 
and  carrying  the  nation  their  own  way.  When  Lincoln  and  his 
faithful  followers  objected,  they  seceded  from  the  Union.  Then 
followed  that  bloody  war  which  called  for  many  a  mother's  boy  to 
give  his  life  for  his  country.  On  the  bloody  fields  of  Bull  Run  many 
a  son,  husband,  and  father  lay  gasping  for  breath,  but  I  will  not 
dwell  on  this  awful  scene  longer.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  God,  whose 
hand  of  mercy  and  forbearance  has  been  over  our  nation,  delivered 
the  slaves,  re-united  the  States,  and  set  us  on  the  road  to  prosperity. 
O.  how  much  our  people  ought  to  praise  God,  and  how  zealous  they 
should  live  before  Him;  but  so  few  do  it.  It  seems  to  me  that  God 
has  favored  us  more  than  any  other  nation.  Why  all  this  patience^ 
and  why  are  we  not  like  the  heathen?  It  is  because  twenty  centuries 
ago,  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour  was  born.  He  died  to  save  us 
from  our  sins. 

Coming  further  down  the  table  of  time,  we  come  to  our  war  with 
Spain.  She  was  persecuting  the  Cubans,  who  were  earnestly  con- 
tending and  fighting  for  their  liberty.  The  United  States,  seeing  the 
awful  suffering,  fought  for  and  freed  Cuba.  I  don't  know  whether 
they  fought  for  their  own  glory  or  not,  but  Jesus  commands  us  to 
help  our  brother,  if  he  is  in  need,  and  to- bear  one  another's  burdens. 

I  mean,  by  God's  grace  assisting  me,  to  start  on  this  new  year 
and  century  all  for  ?lim.  I  feel  I  have  a  work  to  do  for  Jesus.  I 
have  told  Him  I  would  go  through  fire  and  blood  for  Him,  and  I 
mean  to  be  true.  Looking  back  over  the  past  year,  I  can  see  where 
God  has  wonderfully  changed  things,  and  where  other  events  have 
taken  place.  Last  year  about  this  time  ma  was  so  sick  and  weighed 
down  she  could  hardly  live;  now  she  is  well  and  strong  and  where 
she  can  work  for  God,  and  out  of  the  jaws  of  Satan,  who  thought 
he  had  her  sure.  Charles  has  also  been  healed  by  God  of  an  almost 
incurable  affliction.  God  has,  in  His  infinite  wisdom,  placed  me 
where  I  can  get  Bible  knowledge. 

jMy  sister  is  here  vi.siting  me,  and  we  went  out  to  Shaw's  garden 
to-day.  As  we  walked  along  I  could  not  but  remark  how  nice  the 
residences  were,  and  how  fresh  and  pure  the  air.     The  scenery  was 


OR    THE    LIFE    OF    DERTHA    RASMUSSEN  33 

surely  beautiful.  What  a  Ijoautiful  world  \vc  live  in,  if  only  the 
yreat  curse  of  sin  was  swept  away.  After  we  entered  tlie  pjarden, 
we  passed  from  house  to  house  looking  at  the  beautiful  plants.  At 
last  we  climbed  up  a  winding  stair  to  a  small  tower,  and  there  we 
scratched  our  names  on  the  brick  with  a  hairpin,  the  only  service- 
able thing  we  had  with  us.     We  spent  a  very  pleasant  afternoon. 

Praise  Jesus.  I  belong  to  Him.  Although  this  world  is  stained 
with  sin,  bless  God  1  expect  to  see  one  that  is  not.  God  has  prom- 
ised it,  if  1  will  but  be  true;  and  1  expect  to,  God's  grace  helping  me. 

Jan.  7. — To-day  is  a  dark  day,  but  I  am  glad  I  have  sunshine  in 
my  soul. 

Before  the  light  I  am  sitting, 

Ere  long  I'll  be  at  rest, — 

Rest  in  my  cot  by  the  window. 

To  rest !     Ah,  rest  indeed  !     It  is 

At  God's  f)wn  throne  to  bow. 

Rest   for  the  weak  and   weary, 

Often  rest  the  soul  as  well. 

Shall  we  be  true  to 'r  calling? 

Or  false  to  God  to  prove? 

Shall  we,  though  pressed  and  weary, 

To  the  tempter's  offers  bow  ? 

Ah,  no ;  we  can't  afford  that ; 

Let's   up,  and   work   for   God. 

For  God  has  surely  promised 

A  great   reward  to  all 

Who,  though  tempted  and  afflicted. 

Endureth  to  the  end. 

"  Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you, 
and  shall,  siy  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake. 
Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad  :  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven." 

Jan.  1900. —  Bessie,  Charles,  and  I  just  returned  from  the  Four 
Courts,  where  Mother  Wbeaton  talked  to  the  pri.soners.  Mer  talk 
got   bold    of   them.      She   s.nig    part    nf    the   time.      Every   once    in    a 


34  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

while  during  lier  talk  some  of  ihcni  broke  clown  and  cried.  How 
niucli  we  have  to  praise  God  for.  It  is  only  through  His  love  and 
mercy   that  we  are  out  of  prison. 

Jan.  9. —  Last  night  we  had  a  wonderful  meeting  at  the  Mission. 
Mother  Wheaton  preached.  The  Lord  did  help  her  so.  It  was  glo- 
rious. 

I  will  go  back  to  some  of  her  letters.    The  following  is  a 
letter  to  her  dear  friend  Alice :  — 

De/\r  Alk  e  :  Remember  we  used  to  go  to  church  t;i)gether  all 
the  time.  Dear  Alice,  give  your  heart  to  God,  and  let  Him  lead  and 
direct  you,  and  I  believe  your  life  will  be  a  great  success. 

All  my  powers  and  intellect, 

Lord,  I  consecrate  to  Thee; 
I  am  all  for  use  or  service, 

Certain,  Lord,   T   belong  to  Thee. 
Evermore  my  life  shall  be, 

Ever,  only,  all  for  Thee. 

(There  is  a  puzzle  in  that  verse.) 

"  Oh  learn  to  scorn  the  praise  of  men, 
And  learn  to  lose  with  God ; 
For  Jesus  won  the  world  throtigh  shame, 
And  beckoned  thee  His  road." 

Prepare  to  meet  thy  God.     "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee." 

Bertha. 

Dear  Brother:  Tn  answer  to  the  question  as  to  what  I  thought 
I  had  to  do,  I  can  not  tell  you,  for  I  do  not  know  myself.  I  feel  as 
if  God  had  .some  place  for  me,  and  was  fitting  me  for  it,  but  T  have 
no  conception  as  yet  as  to  what  my  work  will  be.  I  hardly  think  it 
will  be  a  foreign  missionary,  but  only  God  knows.  I  am  willing 
to  be  anything,  and  God  will  tell  me  in  His  own  good  time. 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  35 

I  am  so  glad  that  you  are  pressing  after  holiness.  I  shall  con- 
tinue to  pray  for  you.  Hold  on  until  you  get  it.  Do  not  give  up 
your  grip.     Study  your  Bible  and  pray  much.     I   was  glad  to  hear 

that  got  saved.     I  have  a  through  ticket  to  the  pearly  gate,  and 

a  title  clear  to  a  mansion.     Hallelujah.  Bertha. 

Dear  Brother  and  Sister  :  I  guess  Mother  Wheaton  and  I  will 
visit  saloons  this  afternoon.  I  have  salvation.  Hallelujah  to  God, 
who  never  lost  a  battle,  and  who  has  promised  to  fight  ours.     Amen. 

If  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son  to 
die  for  us  (John  3:  16),  we  ought  to  love  our  own  souls  and  God 
and  His  cause  enough  to  have  His  blood  applied  to  our  hearts, 
had  we  not?  I  am  praying  continually  for  you,  and  I  believe  that 
God,  according  to  His  abundant  and  precious  promises,  is  going  to 
answer  prayer.  We  can  not  afford  to  live  beneath  the  privilege  of 
the  gospel.'  You  will  never  realize  until  afterward  how  much  time 
you  have  wasted  when  you  might  have  been  growing  in  grace. 

I  do  thank  God  that  He  ever  brought  us  here.  I  see  His  loving 
hand  in  it  all.  I  have  received  so  much  good  by  coming  here,  but  I 
believe  the  same  loving  hand  is  going  to  draw  us  somewhere  else. 
Who  would  not  love  such  a  Father?  If  we  follow  God  we  may  be 
sure  we  will  never  make  a  failure. 

When  I  am  setting  type,  my  mind  often  wanders  back  to  the 
scenes  of  my  childhood.  I  am  in  the  pressroom  writing  while  the 
others  are  eating  breakfast.  I  tell  you  I  thank  God  with  all  my 
heart  that  He  has  given  me  a  Christian  mother,  one  who  has  daily 
communion  with  God.     I  take  her  convictions  for  a  good  deal. 

We  do  want  to  go  to  school  where  we  can  get  the  most  and 
accomplish  the  most  for  God.  Praise  God  for  a  full  and  free  sal- 
vation that  saves  even  me. 

The  office  bell  is  ringing,  and  I  must  go.  I  hope  soon  to  hear  that 
you  are  cleansed  from  inbred  sin.  "  Finally,  brethren,  farewell.  Be 
perfect,  be  of  good  comfort,  be  of  one  mind,  live  in  peace ;  and  the 
God  of  love  and  peace  shall  be  with  you."    2  Cor.  13:  11. 

Your  sister.  Bertha. 


36  A    VOUXG    MISSIONARY 

Dear  Sister  and  Brother:  O,  how  God  answers  prayer.  We  are 
holding  on  to  God  for  you  both.  Rush  in,  and  get  all  there  is  for 
you.     We  will  send  you  some  references  on  sanctihcation. 

When  Charles  Went  to  send  the  trunk,  on  the  road  coming  back, 
in  all  the  mud,  and  wheeling  the  cart,  he  thought  he  had  gotten  on 
First  Street,  that  I  have  told  you  about,  and  he  got  so  scared.  He 
prayed  like  everything.  I  don't  know  what  he  would  do  sometimes 
if  he  could  not  pray.  He  gets  such  scares  sometimes.  But  Jesus  is 
ever  with  us,  and  He  is  a  friend  in  need. 

Sister  S came  home  to-night.     1  have  not  seen  her  yet,  but 

before  she  came  to  the  house  I  heard  her  say  "  Amen."  I  like  to 
hear  her  say  Amen,  as  she  puts  so  much  life  and  spirit  in  it.  I  have 
a  through  ticket  to  Heaven,  Hallelujah  !     Good  enough  for  any  one. 

Aly  childhood's  days  often  come  to  mind,  and  I  think  how  God's 
hand  was  over  us  and  guarded  us  from  danger  when  we  were  alone. 
I  have  not  forgotten  those  loved  ones  I  used  to  spend  such  pleasant 
hours  with,  and  with  whom  I  went  through  hours  of  danger,  trials, 
and  grief.  Those  faces  I  learned  to  love  so  dearly  will  not  fade 
from  my  mind  very  soon.  God  bless  you,  dear  ones  ;  and  whether  I 
be  present  or  absent,  remcmlicr  the  Lord.  He  is  near,  and  oh,  how 
He  loves  you.  He  came  into  this  cruel  world,  bled  and  died  upon 
the  cross,  and  tasted  death  for  every  man,  that  we  might  have 
eternal  life ;  and  He  is  interceding  at  the  right  hand  of  God  for  us. 
O  what  lo\'e,  what  kindness,  all  for  such  weak  worms  as  we  are; 
and  will  we  continue  to  drive  the  nails  harder  and  harder  into  those 
blessed  hands,  and  the  spear  into  the  heart  of  our  blessed  Redeemer, 
by  refusing  His  offered  mercy?  Should  we  not  love  Him  and  do 
His  commandments?  Jesus  can  get  along  without  our  service,  but 
we  can  not  get  along  without  Him.  Think  what  it  would  meari  to 
us  if  we  were  deprived  of  the  Bible,  or  of  the  privilege  of  prayer 
one  day.  Jesus  says,  "  If  ye  love  me,  ye  will  keep  my  command- 
ments." One  of  those  commands  is,  "  Follow  peace  with  all  men, 
and  holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  "  Be  ye 
therefore  perfect,  even  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect." 
Hallelujah!  I  expect  to  see  ynu  out  where  you  will  be  winning 
bright  stars  for  your  crown.  Thank  God  for  His  goodness,  and 
press  on  for  more. 


OR   THE    LIFE    OE    BERTHA    KASMUSSEN  37 

God  is  wisdom,  God  is  our  might, 
God  ever  near  us,  guiding  us  right. 

He  understands,  knows  all  we  need; 
Trusting  in  Him,  we'll  surely  succeed. 

I  am  His,  to  give  my  life  for  the  lost  of  earth,  and  to  win  a  home 
in  a  land  where  parting  is  never  known.  This  is  a  vale  of  tears,  hut 
the  darkest  hours  are  just  before  the  dawn.  Hallelujah  to  God, 
who  never  lost  a  battle.  Bertha. 

Dear  Sister  and  Brother:  We  are  very  busy  on  the  paper.  To- 
day is  Washington's  birthday.  Thank  God  he  ever  was  born.  Where 
would  we  be  if  he  had  not  been  born.  Perhaps  God  would  have 
stirred  up  some  other  man. 

We  all  feel  that  it  is  the  Lord's  will  for  us  to  leave,  and  go 
where  Ch&rles  and  I  can  get  an  education  in  a  Christian  school.  I 
expect  It  will  be  College  Mound.  You  know  that  this  is  a  mission- 
ary home,  and  that  work  keeps  us  so  busy  that  we  have  but  little 
time  to  study.  The  Lord  has  said  in  Ex.  14:  14,  "The  Lord  shall 
fight  for  you,  and  ye  shall  hold  your  peace."  We  are  taking  that 
for  our  verse  day  by  day  as  we  watch,  wait,  and  pray. 

To-night  reminds  us  of  the  night  we  bade  farewell  to  Bessieand 
Mother  Wheaton  at  the  depot. 

~*'  The  hills  are  dearest  which  our  childish  feet 

Have  climbed  the  earliest,  and  the  streams  most  sweet 
Are  ever  those  at  which  our  young  lips  drank  — 
Stooped  to  their  waters  o'er  the  grassy  bank. 

"  When  Freedom  from  her  mountain  height 
Unfurled  her  standard  to  the  air, 
She  tore  the  azure  robe  of  night, 
And  set  the  stars  of  glory  there. 

"  She  mingled  with  the  gorgeous  dyes 
The  milky  baldric  of  the  skies, 
And  striped  its  pure  celestial  white 
With  streakings  of  the  morning  light." 


38  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

How  thankful  I  am  to  God  for  good  health.  How  thankful  you 
ought  to  be.  It  makes  me  more  and  more  thankful  when  I  see 
little  Pearl  on  the  border  of  her  grave.  We  all  had  somewhat  of  a 
scare  this  morning,  as  it  was  announced  that  she  was  dying.  They 
hurried  for  her  sister.  We  dropped  to  our  knees  in  the  office,  those 
in  the  kitchen  did  the  same,  and  others  were  praying  with  her. 
After  praj'ers  we  went  over,  part  at  a  time,  to  take  the  last  look,  as 
we  supposed,  of  the  precious  one  which  had  so  shortly  budded,  and 
to  all  appearances  would  blossom  in  heaven.  As  I  looked  on  her 
fair  face  with  its  deathlike  blue  lips,  staring  eyes,  wasted  form, 
and  quick  breathing,  I  thought,  in  a  few  moments  she  will  have 
joined  the  realms  of  holy  angels  above,  who  never  cease  to  sing  the 
praises  of  the  Lamb,  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  for  us. 
We  have  continued  to  pray  for  Pearl,  and  if  she  is  not  healed,  it 
will  be  because  God,  in  His  infinite  wisdom  and  love,  saw  fit  to 
take  her  out  of  this  cold  world  to  realms  of  peace  above,  where  there 
is  no  pain  nor  sickness.  It  is  a  comfort  to  know  she  is  well  cared 
for.     It  is  important  that  we  should  be  ready  to  meet  God. 

Now,  my  precious  ones,  with  all  the  light  and  privilege  you  have, 
meet  the  requirements  of  God,  and  be  ready  to  meet  Him.  He  has 
said  He  will  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night.  I  would  not  rest  a  mo- 
ment without  my  sky  clear.  Oh  loved  ones,  throw  yourselves  out 
on  God.  He  will  take  care  of  you.  You  can  expect  persecution,  but 
what  will  that  amount  to  in  the  judgment,  if,  with  Paul,  we  can  say 
when  we  come  down  to  the  river  of  death,  "  I  have  fought  a  good 
fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith:  henceforth 
there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the 
righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day."  Jesus  says,  "  Blessed 
are  ye,  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you.  and  shall  say 
all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake.  Rejoice,  and  be 
exceeding  glad :  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven."  It  says  in 
Rev.  2:10,  "Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt  suffer: 
behold,  the  devil  shall  cast  some  of  you  into  prison,  that  ye  may  be 
tried;  and  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten  days:  be  thou  faithful  unto 
death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  "  If  we  suffer,  we 
shall  also  reign  with  him."     "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee."     Well, 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  39 

I   am   going  through   by   God's   help.     I   am   earnestly  praying  that 
God  will  have  His  way  in  your  life. 

Your  sister,  belonging  to  God, 

Bertha. 


In  a  letter  to  her  sister  she  tells  about  a  policeman  having 
called  on  Sister  Sherman,  Superintendent  of  the  Missionary 
Home ;  how  among  other  things  he  told  her  that  there 
were  seventy  thousand  recognized  fallen  women,  and  about 
ten  thousand  (I  believe  it  was)  who  lived  in  mansions 
and  dressed  in  silks.  And  when  they  had  lived  that  life  a 
certain  length  of  time,  about  nine  tenths  of  them  would 
commit  suicide,  and  this  policeman  and  another  had  to  carry 
them  out  and  bury  them  at  night. 

He  said  it  was  hke  hell  to  go  into  such  places.  Women 
who  have  worked  rescuing  these  girls  have  told  me  that 
they  only  live  five  years  after  commencing  that  life.  You 
say,  perhaps,  "  Why  are  those  girls  there? '"  Well,  so  far  as 
I  have  learned,  it  is  the  cursed  intemperance,  the  liquor 
traffic.     If  we  had  no  saloons,  we  would  have  no  brothels. 

They  have  what  is  called  procurers.  These  procurers 
pass  themselves  off  as  traveling  men.  They  stop  at  the 
finest  hotels,  and  when  they  see  nice  young  girls,  after  be- 
coming acquainted,  they  will  propose  marriage.  Often  they 
will  even  have  a  mock  ceremony.  Many  times  they  will  not 
have  anything,  but  just  go  away  together.  The  poor  ig- 
norant girl  will  be  delighted  because  she  is  not  going  to 
work  out  by  the  week  any  more,  but  is  going  to  live  in  a 
palace  and  have  a  good  time ;  but  lo,  and  behold !  at  the 
end  of  the  journey  she  is  taken  to  such  a  hell  upon  earth, 
and  that  is  the  last  of  that  happy  prospect.    An  incident  like 


40  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

this  came  under  the  observation  of  friends  in  a  town  not 
far  from  here,  but  a  dispatch  was  sent  after  tlicm  imnic- 
diately,  and  the  girl  brought  back  to  her  parents. 

Also  girls  will  come  to  a  city  looking  for  work,  and  go 
to  a  restaurant  for  something  to  eat.  The  procurers  are 
around  watching  for  their  prey.  If  the  girl  will  not  go  with 
them,  they  will  give  the  waiter  a  sign,  and  he  will  jnit 
something  in  her  lunch  to  stupefy  or  intoxicate  her  so  she 
can  easily  be  taken  wherever  he  wishes. 

I  just  read  in  a  Christian  paper  about  a  young  girl  who 
was  traveling,  and  was  waiting  in  the  depot  for  her  train, 
when  a  highly  dressed  lady  came  in  and  began  to  talk  to 
her  about  her  train,  and  said  that  she  herself  wanted  to  go, 
but  there  was  no  five  o'clock  train  going  out  that  night,  and 
that  she  could  go  home  with  her  until  the  next  day.  Before 
this  lady  came  in  one  of  their  men  (a  procurer)  had  been 
talking  to  the  girl,  but  her  brother  had  warned  her  before 
she  left  home  against  men  in  the  cities.  The  girl  said  that 
just  then  a  lady  who  wore  a  white  ribbon  came  in.  and  told 
her  not  to  go  with  this  other  woman,  who  had  alread\-  gone 
to  send  for  a  carriage  for  her ;  and  they  had  the  police  for- 
bid the  driver  to  take  the  girl.  I  have  read  of  manv  such 
cases,  but  have  no  room  for  more  here. 

I  was  in  Omaha  just  a  few  months  ago,  where  I  became 
acquainted  with  a  dear  old  lady  who  had  worked  at  rescu- 
ing these  dear  girls  from  that  awful  life  for  many  years.  I, 
not  knowing  how  things  were,  asked  among  other  things, 
"  Why  don't  these  girls  run  away  from  there?  "'  "  Oh,"  she 
said,  "  they  are  kept  in,  and  not  allowed  on  the  street  until 
they  are  so  far  gone  that  they  can  be  trusted  not  to  run 
awav." 


OR    THE    LIFE    OK    r.ERTHA    RASMUSSEN  4I 

I  will  relate  an  instance  here  about  a  young-  man  who 
went  to  visit  these  places.  He  said  he  saw  there  a  young 
girl  who  begged  him  to  take  her  out.  but  he  could  not  do  it. 
She  went  up-stairs,  took  some  poison,  and  killed  herself. 
He  told  this  to  the  one  who  told  me,  so  I  am  sure  of  its 
truthfulness. 

STONE   THE   WOMAN. 

"Stone  the  woman  —  let  the  man  go  free! 
Draw  back  your  skirts  lest  they  perchance 
May  touch  her  garments  as   she   passes ; 
But  to  him  put  forth  a  wilHng  hand 
To  clasp  with  his  that  led  her  to  destruction 
And  disgrace.     Shut  up  from  her  the  sacred 
Ways  of  toil,  that  she  no  more  may  win  an 
Honest  meal ;  but  ope  to  him  all  honorable 
Paths,  where  he  may  win  distinction. 
Give  him  fair  pressed  down  measures  of 
Life's  sweetest  joys.     Pass  her,   O  maiden. 
With  a  pure,  proud  face,  if  she  puts  out 
A  poor,  polluted  palm  ;  but  lay  thy  hand  in 
His  on  bridal  day,  and  swear  to  cling  to  him 
With  wifely  love  and  tender  reverence ; 
Trust  him  who  led  a  sister  woman 
To  a   fearful   fate. 

Yes,  stone  the  woman  —  let  the  man  go  free ! 
Let  one  soul  suffer  for  the  guilt  of  two, 
Is  the  doctrine  of  a  hurried  world, 
Too  out  of  breath   for  holding  balances 
Where  nice  distinctions  and  un justices 
Are  calmly  weighed.     But,  ah,  how  will  it  be 
On  that  strange  day  of  fire  and  flame. 
When  man  shall  stand  before  the  one  true 


42  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

Judge?     Shall  sex  make  then  a  difference  in 
Sin?     Shall  He  the  Searcher  of  the  hidden 
Heart,  in  His  eternal  and  divine  decree, 
Condemn  the  woman  and  forgive  the  man  ?  " 

My  Precious  Brother  and  Sister:  I  just  came  down  from  the 

office.     I   hear  that  Brother  ■  is  going  to  preach  at  the   Mission 

ten  days.  Yesterday  D  and  I  had  a  nice  walk  hefore  Sunday- 
school  giving  out  tracts.  In  the  afternoon  we  took  tracts  and  went 
on  another  long  walk.  We  visited  some  places,  too.  We  had  a 
very  good  time.  We  went  until  we  were  so  tired  we  had  to  come 
home.  Charles  and  the  rest  of  the  boys  went  out,  too,  but  not 
with  us.  We  saw  them  going  under  a  bridge  as  we  w'enf  over  it. 
They  sang  a  song  for  the  Chinese,  they  said. 

1  am  glad  I  am  saved,  praise  God.  Let  God  have  His  way  in 
your  life.  Your  lives  will  be  worse  than  failures  if  you  do  not. 
Why  do  you  hold  back  so  when  the  loving  Saviour  stands  with 
outstretched  arms  waiting  to  supply  every  need,  and  perfect  that 
which  is  lacking  in  your  faith?  When  we  come  up  to  the  judgment 
bar  of  God,  we  can  not  say,  I  did  not  have  the  light  on  it.  God  has, 
in  His  mercy,  permitted  us  to  be  born  in  a  land  of  Bibles,  where 
we  can  get  light.  You  know  the  light.  If  we  were  sure  of  a  long 
life,  which  we  are  not,  we  would  need  every  moment  of  it  to  improve 
our  talents  and  be  ready  to  meet  Jesus.  "  Be  ye  also  ready :  for  in 
such  an  hour  as  ye  think  not,  the  Son  of  man  cometh."  "  Follow 
peace  with  ail  men,  and  holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see 
the  Lord." 

We  are  in  the  last  times,  according  to  prophecies,  and  have  no 
time  to  waste.  The  prophecies  concerning  the  Jews  returning  to 
Jerusalem  before  the  end  of  time  is  being  fulfilled,  and  many  are 
returning. 

"  If  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him."  The  world  hated 
Jesus  without  cause,  and  why  should  they  not  hate  us?  "Be  not 
afraid,  for  I  am  with  thee."  With  such  promises  we  ought  to  ven- 
ture out.  "  Let  God  be  true,  but  every  man  a  liar."  .Mso  that 
heaven  and  earth  shall  pass,  but  not  one  jot  or  one  title  of  the  law 
shall  fail.     You  know  what  it  says  about  holiness.     "  Eye  hath  not 


OR    THE    LIFI-:    OF    lUCKTIlA    UASMUSSEN  43 

seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  liave  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the 
things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him."  Search 
the  Scriptures.  They  will  tell  you,  by  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  all 
you  need  to  know. 

1  am  determined  to  go  all  the  way  with  Jesus.  "  But  let  him  that 
glorieth  glory  in  this,  that  he  understandeth  and  knoweth  me,  that 
I  am  the  Lord  which  exercise  lovingkindness,  judgment,  and 
righteousness,  in  the  earth  :  for  in  these  things  I  delight,  saith  the 
Lord."  God  is  my  Father,  hallelujah  to  His  almighty  name.  I  am 
yours,  bound  for  glory.  I  am  expecting  you  to  get  out  where  you 
can  work  for  souls  more.     I  am  praying,  and  God  will  do  His  part. 

Bertha. 

My  Precious  Sister  :  I  am  going  to  tell  you  something  about 
your  health.  It  is  very  injurious  to  wear  corsets,  and  all  the  cloth- 
ing should  -hang  from  the  shoulders.  When  we  see  and  hear  what 
others  have  had  to  learn  by  experience,  and  some  of  them  very  sad 
ones,  why  can  not  we  take  counsel,  and  not  destroy  the  temple  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  avoid  all  the  misery  these  things  bring?  Cloth- 
ing should  never  be  so  tight  but  that  the  lungs  and  chest  can  have 
full  play,  and  so  that  the  floating  ribs  can  move  freely  while  breath- 
ing. You  should  be  able  to  take  a  real  deep  breath  with  ease,  and 
feel  free  and  not  penned  up.  I  like  to  see  a  woman  look  free  and 
natural  instead  of  being  all  cramped  up  in  a  cruel  corset,  and  I 
think  most  every  one  with  good  taste  does,  too.  I  write  this  in  love 
for  you. 

Thank  you  very  much  for  that  dollar.  We  gave  fifty  cents  of  it 
to  the  starving  children,  and  we  had  $1.50  or  more  handed  to  us  a 
short  time  after.  It  pays  to  give  to  the  Lord.  It  reads,  "  He  that 
hath  pity  upon  the  poor  lendeth  unto  the  Lord."  Bless  God  for  free 
salvation.  God  bless  you,  and  the  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you 
wholly. 

Your  ever  true  and   faithful  sister,  striving  to  help  poor  souls, 

Bertha. 

Dear  Alice  :  I  belong  to  Jesus,  soul  and  body,  and  I  keep  pray- 
ing for  you.  There  was  a  man  saved  in  our  watch-night  meetings 
At  twelve  o'clock  all  the  whistles  in  St.  Louis  and  East   St.  Louis 


44 


A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 


))lc'\v,  and  it  was  an  awful  racket,  ^'csterday  my  sister  and  I  went 
to  sec  a  pcKir  woman  living  in  a  basement.  She  was  very  glad  to 
see  ns,  and  wc  had  an  interesting  time. 

I  wish  yon  were  here  so  you  could  take  a  walk  over  the  Choteau 
IJridge.  Trains  go  under  there.  Do  you  remember  how  I  used  to 
wish  I  were  down  here  to  walk  over  it  with  Charles?  Well,  I  have 
that    wish    now. 

A  man  from  Alaska  is  to  preach  to-night.  What  a  busy  town 
this  is.  It  is  hustle  and  bustle  wherever  you  go,  and  it  is  an  awfully 
sinful  place.  Some  places  in  this  city  seem  to  be  very  near  hell's 
door,  especially  on  First  Street,  where  we  distribute  tracts.  I 
never  knew  anything  of  the  sin  in  the  world  when  I  was  up  there 
compared  to  this,  and  it  would  be  hard  for  any  one  who  was  not 
used  to  a  large  city,  or  at  least  been  in  one,  to  have  much  concep- 
tion of  the  place.  We  live  on  Twenty-third  Street,  in  a  quiet  and 
respectable  part,  as  far  as  it  goes.  We  never  get  molested  here, 
only  when  a  thief  comes  along,  and  they  generally  go  away  quietly? 
Of  course  there  are  saloons  close  by,  but  they  are  on  almost  every 
corner,  and  most  of  the  groceries  keep  licjuor.  When  we  go  to  the 
Mission  at  night,  we  pass  what  they  call  fashionable  saloons,  and 
line  carriages  waiting  outside,  and  fast  piano  music  inside,  beside 
all  the  devilment  it  can  hold.  I  would  then  think  of  some  of  the 
things  I  had  read.  I  am  glad  I  read  "  Traffic  in  Girls "  before 
coming  here.  O,  these  are  awful  hell-holes,  but  I  suppose  all  large 
cities  arc  the  same.  I  would  not  trust  myself  alone  on  the  street 
after  dark,  and  not  very  far  in  the  daytime.  I  have  not  been  what 
they  call  down-town  more  than  twice,  but  there  are  things  to  be 
seen  near  at  home.  That  terrible  cyclone  that  swept  away  parts 
of  St.  Louis  not  far  from  the  Missionary  Home,  did  not  hurt  the 
Home.     You  can  see  some  of  the  ruins  yet,  not  built  up. 

When  people  set  type,  their  minds  can  wander  over  the  world 
and  back,  and  they  can  be  setting  right  along. 

Now  prepare  to  meet  thy  God.  Jesus  said,  "  Now  is  the  accepted 
time  ;  behold,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation."  He  hasn't  promised  us 
any  to-morrow.  Give  your  heart  to  God.  Last  night  we  had  a  glo- 
rious time  at  the  Mission.  People  fell,  danced,  and  shouted  all 
over  the  hall.     The  preacher  jumped  steady  for  quite  a  while.     O,  he 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    P.ERTHA    RASMUSSEN  45 

was  so  happy.  I. got  a  toucli  of  the  tire,  too.  Hallelujah  to  God! 
it  was  glorious.  It  was  one  of  the  best,  if  not  the  l)est,  meetings  of 
my  life.  I  just  wish  you  could  enjoy  some  of  these  meetings.  Sun- 
day, surely  — 

"  'Twas  a  heaven  helow 

My  Redeemer  to  know, 
And  the  angels  could  do  nothing  more, 

Than  to   fall  at   His   feet. 

And   the   story   repeat. 
And  the  Lover  of  sinners  adore." 

Your  loving  Bertha. 

JorRNAL. —  I  had  a  letter  this  morning  which  brought  glorious 
news.  Alice  is  saved.  ()  glory,  hnw  glad  I  feel!  God  ever  keep 
her,  is  my  prayer.  I  hope  she  will  go  in  iov  a  clean  heart.  She  had 
the  light. 

I  have  a  through  ticket  to  the  pearly  gates,  and  a  title  clear  to 
a  mansion  in  the  skies,  and  that  is  enough  for  any  one.  A  person 
with  that  inheritance  could  be  one  of  the  richest  men  or  women  that 
ever  lived  without  owning  a  cent.  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway."  Is 
not  that  enough?  God  was  surely  with  us  Sunday  according  to  Mis 
promise. 

1  low  time  flies !  I  am  getting  so  interested  in  the  Bible,  for 
which  I  am  thankful.  I  expect  the  interest  to  increase.  I  jjclong  to 
God  to  do  His  will. 

My  Dearest  Alice:  I  just  received  the  grand  tidings  that  you 
had  got  .saved.  O  glory!  How  good  it  made  me  feel.  Press  on 
after  holiness.  I  shall  always  remember  to  pray  for  you.  A  day 
has  not  passed  since  I  heard  the  glad  news  of  your  conversion  but 
what  I  have  remembered  you  before  the  throne  of  grace,  asking  God 
to  help  you.  I  hope  I  shall  soon  hear  of  your  getting  sanctitied.  I 
still  continue  to  pray  for  you  ;  and  when  you  come  to  a  hard  place, 
remember  you  have  a  friend  who  will  help  you  to  hold  on  what  little 
I  can.    I  am  still  saved.  Your  own  loving  Bertha. 


46  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

Dear  Alice  :  You  should  see  me  Sunday  mornings  about  9 :  00 
as  I  go  for  my  Sunday-school  boy.  He  is  such  a  bright  little  fel- 
low.    He  likes  to  go  to  Sunday-school.     I  bring  him  back  again,  too. 

Do  you  remember  the  last  look  we  had  at  Sunnyside  together?  I 
suppose  in  a  few  years  it  will  not  be  the  same.  Such  is  life.  Things 
change  all  the  time.  Nothing  in  this  world  is  substantial.  We  better 
lay  up  treasures  in  heaven,  where  nothing  can  destroy  nor  steal 
them. 

As  I  sit  by  the  office  window  I  can  see  men  and  women  pass 
with  pails  and  pitchers.     I  suppose  they  are  after  beer. 

Keep  saved.  1  expect  you  will.  I  keep  praying  for  you.  I  am 
saved,  hallelujah.  "  One  man  of  you  shall  chase  a  thousand :  for 
the  Lord  your  God,  he  it  is  that  fighteth  for  you,  as  he'  hath  prom- 
ised you."  Joshua  23:10.  "And  the  very  God  of  peace  sanctify 
you  wholly;  and  I  pray  God  your  whole  spirit"  and  soul  and  body 
be  preserved  blameless  until  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Faithful  is  he  that  calleth  you,  who  will  also  do  it."  "  The  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you.     Amen." 

Your  own  loving  Bertha. 

JovRNAL,  Feb  4. —  Friday  night  we  went  to   hear   Brother  

preach.  We  had  a  glorious  time.  It  is  snowing,  and  it  looks  so 
pretty.  I  am  saved,  hallelujah  to  God !  I  will  have  to  get  ready  to 
go  after  my  Sunday-school  boy. 

"Glory  be  to  God  on  high; 
Glory  be  to  Jesus ; 
He  hath   brought  salvation  nigh: 
From  all  sin  He  frees  us. 
Glory  to  God." 

Ma  and  I  went  down  to  the  Mission,  and  enjoyed  a  splendid 
Bible  reading. 

I  hear  that  there  is  an  awful  fire  sweeping  Broadway  to-night.  I 
heard  that  five  firemen  had  been  killed  already,  and  that  all  the 
fire  engines  in  St.  Louis  and  East  St.  Louis  were  working,  but 
were  unable  to  check  it.     The  fire  started  in  a  very  large  clothing- 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  47 

house  called  "  Famous."  It  just  seems  awful.  Perhaps  none  of  the 
firemen  were  prepared  to  meet  God.  O,  how  diligently  we  ought  to 
serve  God.  I  am  so  glad  that  John  3  :  16  is  in  the  Bihle.  What  a 
hlessed  verse  it  is.  I  am  saved,  s.inctihed,  and  ready  for  glory. 
Amen.  O  God  bless  all  the  bereaved  ones  to-night  in  this  city  and 
elsewhere. 

Feb.  7,  1900. —  It  just  now  lightened  and  thundered.  Well,  bless 
God,  I  have  salvation.  O  glory.  I  belong  to  God.  Amen.  He 
will  never  leave  me  nor  forsake  me. 

Feb.  13. —  Praise  God  for  salvation  from  all  sin.  Sunday  after- 
noon Sister and  I  went  to  the  jail,  visiting  saloons  as  we  went, 

but  when  we  got  there  we  found  the  jail  was  quarantined.  As  we 
could  not  get  in,  we  decided  to  take  a  roundabout  way  home,  visit- 
ing saloons.  I  really  had  no  idea  how  many  saloons  there  were  in 
some  places.  We  visited  three  at  one  crossing,  but  despite  all  the 
sin  and  wickedness  we  found  what  seemed  to  be  diamonds  in  the 
rough.  O  if  men  could  see  the  awful  fruits  of  the  votes  they  cast 
for-  liquor,  they  surely  would  repent,  and  take  a  different  way.  I 
believe  that  day's  work  will  be  brought  to  the  judgment  and  that 
it  will  bear  fruit,  whether  we  see  it  in  this  life  or  not.  How  I  plead 
with  God  for  the  precious  souls  we  saw.  In  one  saloon  we  found 
two  young  men  playing  pool.  They  said  they  came  from  homes  in 
the  East  to  attend  the  Medical  College.  They  seemed  on  the  verge 
of  crying,  and  said  they  appreciated  our  interest  in  them,  and  that 
they  would  not  have  their  mothers  know  how  they  were  doing  for 
anything,  and  begged  us  to  pray  for  them.  They  seemed  so  polite 
and  manly,  if  it  were  not  for  the  curse  of  our  beautiful  land,  whisky. 
O,  will  not  this  generation,  and  the  coming  ones,  rise  up  and  put 
down  this  terrible  drink  fiend  that  is  damning  souls,  blasting  and 
breaking  up  homes?  By  God's  help  and  aid,  I  pledge  myself  to  do 
all  in  my  power  to  put  it  down.  We  visited  twenty  or  more  saloons. 
I  love  this  work.  W^e  worked  until  our  supply  of  tracts  gave  out. 
I  know  for  a  fact  that  I  am  saved. 

February  16. — Well,  praise  God,  I  know  I  have  salvation,  and 
He  will   carry  me   through.     I   belong  to   God,    who   never   lost   a 


48  A  YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

battle  (and  He  has  promised  to  right  ours),  and  a  God  who  owns 
all  the  money  in  the  universe  and  the  cattle  on  a  thousand  hills.  Me 
surely  can  take  me  through.  ]\Iy  face  is  set  like  a  flint  Zionward, 
and  I  will  go  through. 

This  morning  ma,   E ,   and   I   went   down   town  a   ways,   and 

when  we  came  back  it  was  snowing.  It  looked  so  pretty  to  see  the 
beautiful  white  snow  falling  in  large  flakes,  but  it  soon  stopped.  O, 
so  many  poor  outcasts  and  wretches !  an^l  they  were  all  once  as 
clean  from  all  outward  transgressions  as  the  snow  was  white. 

"And  when  the  battle's  over, 
We  shall  wear  a  crov/n." 

February  23. — Thank  God  for  such  a  beautiful  day.  I  also  thank 
Him  for  the  visible  answer  to  a  petition  I  sent  Him,  and  the  invisible 
answer  to  another.     Glory,  I  am  saved. 

I  now  come  to  a  part  of  her  journal  from  which  T  will 
only  give  a  few  jottings,  to  show  the  deliverance  God  can 
give  when  we  go  through  the  deep  waters :  — 

February  26. — "  The  Lord  shall  fight  for  you,  and  ye  shall  hold 
your  peace,"  never  seemed  more  precious  to  me  than  yesterday.  I 
was  sitting  in  the  prayer-room,  unconscious  of  the  fact  that  danger 
was  at  hand  unless  God  interfered,  which  He  did.  The  news 
came  to  me,  and  seeing  Sister ,  a  blessed  soul  (who,  I  have  rea- 
son to  believe,  is  shouting  in  the  realms  of  endless  bliss,  where  she 
will  have  no  more  pain  nor  sorrow),  sitting  by  the  stove,  T  whis- 
pered these  words  to  her,  "  Pray  for  us."  I  looked  in  the  prayer- 
room  later,  and  saw  that  dear  soul  on  her  knees  in  accordance  with 
my  request.  (It  is  blessed  to  have  good  evidence  that  she  is  safely 
housed  in  glory.)  I  then  went  to  my  room,  which  was  connected 
with  the  prayer-room  by  rolling  doors.  I  dropped  on  my  knees,  and 
prayed  to  my  heavenly  Father  for  protection,  which  He  gave  just  as 
I  needed  it. 

Shadows  have  been  cast,  as  far  as  worldly  things  are  concerned. 
for  us  to  walk  in,  but  glory  to  God,  there  is  a  bright  side  to  all 


OR   THE    LIKE    OF    HERTHA    RASMUSSEN 


49 


sIkmIiiws.  riianks  1k'  to  GikI,  Ik'  turns  ;ill  {n  sunshmc.  Not  tliat 
\\L'  (]■■■.]'[  l;i\(.'  to  light  with  poverty  and  liard  times,  for  vvc  do;  hut 
1  would  not  he  witlioiit  this  experience  for  anything.  Coml  will 
soon  set,  and  Christ  will  he  the  judge,  and  will  give  justice,  and 
although  we  liave  a  dark  background  to  our  history,  yet  1  see  victory 
ahead,  and  I  am  pushing  on  after  it;  but  all  thanks  be  to  God  who 
always  causes  to  triutnph.  I  tell  you  notes  of  victory  were  sounded 
to  an  Almighty  God  who  never  goes  back  on  His  promises.  O  halle- 
lujah. God  alone  knows  how  thankful  I  am  that  the  devil  has  been 
defeated.  Oh  glory!  I  am  not  much  to  shout,  but  1  felt  so  happy, 
I  said  "  Plallelujah!  "  right  out  loud  on  the  streets  of  St.  Louis.  It 
was  like  General  Perry's  message  when  he  won  such  a  victory  on 
Lake  Erie,  "  We  have  met  the  enemy,  and  they  are  ours."  But  we 
have  won  a  more  glorious  victory  than  he  did,  for  by  God's  grace 
we  had  headed  off  the  devil's  plans.  I  shall  never  forget  that  night. 
This  is  one  of  the  wonderful  things  God  has  done  for  us.  Thanks 
be  to  God  for  His  unspeakable  gift  of  His  Son.  I  am  saved,  sancti- 
hed,  and  ready  for  heaven.     I  mean  my  life  shall  be  a  success. 

Dear  Alice:  Ma,  Charles,  and  I  went  to  one  of  the  large  churches 
in  the  city,  and  heard  what  the  people  call  the  "  boy  preacher " 
preach.  The  church  had  three  sets  of  gas-lights  besides  those  fast- 
ened to  the  sides.  It  made  me  think  of  pictures  I  had  seen  of 
grand  churches.  They  also  had  a  pipe-organ.  St.  Louis  is  only 
the  liftli  city  of  the  United  States,  but  it  has  more  people  in  it  than 
all  the  State  of  South  Dakota. 

We  have  singing-school  now. 

Be  true  to  God  whatever  you  do.  I  always  remember  to  pray 
for  you,  and  best  of  all,  Jesus  is  interceding  for  us  at  the  right 
hand  of  God.  I  prize  my  Bible  more  than  ever.  I  little  knew  how 
beautiful  its  truths  were  until  I  looked  into  them  for  myself.  In 
speaking  of  Wisdom,  Prov.  8:17  says,  "I  love  them,  that  love 
tne ;  and  those  that  seek  me  early  shall  find  me."  Prov.  9:  10  says, 
"  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom ;  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  holy  is  understanding."  So  when  we  get  saved, 
we  are  in  a  good  place  to  start  and  get  an  education.  I  am  saved, 
praise  Jesus.  Your  own  Bertha, 


50  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

In  a  letltT  to  aiKjlher  friend  she  wrote:  — 

"  ]  suppose  you  have  heard  ere  tliis  thai  two  of  your  friends  from 

have  gone  on  before  to  glory.     O,  what  a  wonderful  meeting  it 

will  be  when  we  shall  see  all  our  loved  ones,  and  more  than  all, 
Jesus,  the  Lamb  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  I  have  two 
brothers  in  glory  awaiting  me  when  I' shall  have  hnished  my  course. 
It  pays  to  be  true  to  Jesus.  "Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I 
will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life." 

Mv  Pkecioi'S  Alice:  The  sentiment  of  my  heart  is  this:  — 

"  Jesus,   Saviour,   pilot   me, 
Over  life's  tempestuous  sea ; 
Unknown  waves  before  me  roll. 
Hiding  rocks  and  treacherous  shoal; 
Chart  and  compass  came  from  thee; 
Jesus,  Saviour,  pilot  me. 

"As  a  mother  stills  her  child. 
Thou  canst  hush  the  ocean  wild  ; 
Boisterous  waves  obey  thy  will 
When  thou  say'st  to  them,  '  Be  still ! ' 
Wondrous  Sovereign  of  the  sea, 
Jesus,   Saviour  pilot  me. 

"  When  at  last  I   near  the  shore. 

And  the  fearful  breakers   roar, 

'Twixt  me  and  the  peaceful  rest. 

Then  while  leaning  on  thy  breast, 

May  I  hear  thee  say  to  me, 
'  Fear  not,  I  will  pilot  thee  !  '  " 

As  the  tidings  concerning  the  bloody  war  raging  between  Eng- 
land and  the  Boers  of  South  Africa  come  in  thick  and  fast,  telling 
of  the  terrible  bloodshed,  it  makes  me  wonder  when  the  nations  will 
get  where  they  will  not  go  into  such  manslaughter  over  some  land. 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  5 1 

« 

yiy  precious,  darling  friend,  I  should  love  to  see  you.  I  am 
glad  you  are  saved.  Be  true.  When  you  get  in  a  hard  place,  and 
it  seems  as  if  the  waters  of  difficulty  had  splashed  in  your  eyes,  and 
there  seems  to  be  no  way  through,  I  am  glad  there  is  a  way  out, 
and  you  can  look  up  and  say.  Father,  you  said  "  My  grace  is  suffi- 
cient for  thee,"  now  I  claim  that  promise.  In  everything  have  for 
your  motto,  "What  would  Jesus  do?"  God's  promises  are  so  pre- 
cious. O  how  I  love  His  word!  I  am  so  thankful  I  am  not  a 
heathen. 

Another  precious  lamb  has  joined  the  innumerable  ranks  of 
angels.     Little   Pearl   has  gone  to  be, — 

"  Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus, 
Safe  on  His  gentle  breast." 

He  thought  best,  in  his  infinite  wisdom,  to  take  her  to  Himself. 
Thank  God  she  was  saved.  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the 
Lord.  How  important  it  is  that  we  should  be  saved  when  we  are 
well.  When  we  are  sick  is  not  time  to  seek  God.  O,  let  us  keep 
ourselves  ready  for  the  death  angel.  It  is  so  good  to  think  that 
Pearl's  body  is  free  from  pain,  and  her  soul  safe  in  the  arms  of 
Jesus. 

Keep  saved,  and  press  ahead  for  more. 

I  remain  your  precious  sister,  washed  in  the  blood  of  Jesus, 

Bertha. 

Dear  B and  J :  I  hope  you  have  not  given   up  getting 

sanctified.  I  don't  think  you  have.  We  keep  praying  for  you. 
Best  of  all,  Jesus  is  interceding.  Glad  you  have  started  for  heaven, 
never  to  turn  back.  It  does  me  good  to  hear  it.  There  is  a  great 
chase  for  us  yet.  Read  Matt.  5 :  10-13.  If  we  would  only  have  more 
faith  in  God,  we  would  not  feel  so  afraid  and  forsaken,  for  there 
are  enough  promises  in  God's  Word  to  take  us  through  to  heaven 
shouting.  Look  up  the  word  "  unbelief,"  and  you  will  see  clearer 
what  a  curse  it  is.  Time  spent  in  studying  the  Bible  is  never  lost.  I 
get  so  interested.  I  think  if  every  one  could  read  "  Fifty  Years  in 
the  Church  of  Rome,"  by  Father  Charles  Chiniquy,  it  would  inake 
them  feel  grateful  for  the  Bible  and  prayer.     I  am  reading  it  now. 


5^  A  VounG  mission AkV 

It  is  very  interesting.  You  will  never  make  a  mistake  in  life  by  fol- 
lowing Jesus. 

■'Anywhere !  anywhere !  fear  I  can  not  know, 
Anywhere  with  Jesus  I  can  safely  go. 
Anywhere  with  Jesus  I  can  go  to  sleep, 
When  the  dark'ning  shadows  round  about  me  creep ; 
Knowing  I  shall  waken  never  more  to  roam, 
Anywhere  with  Jesus  will  be  Home,  Sweet  Home." 

My  parting  exhortation  will  be  found  in  Heb.  13 :  20-22 ;  Phil. 
1:27.  I  am  saved  and  sanctihed,  hallelujah.  The  Lord  God  om- 
nipotent reigneth.     I  feel  real  well  in  body  as  well  as  sout 

Last  night  Charles,  iNIa,  and  I  went  to  the  ^Mission  to  hear  

preach.  We  had  a  good  meeting.  How  I  wish  you  could  have  l)een 
there  to  have  enjoyed  it.  I  wish  you  could  hear  some  of  the  good 
sermons  I  hear  sometimes,  but  God  is  everywhere. 

Sister  was  at  the  Mission  last  night  with  two  of  the  rescue 

girls.     One  of  them  acted  real   good,   but  the  other  did  not.     She 

reminded  me  of ,  if  she  isn't  saved,  and  held  in  by  the  Almighty 

and  her  parents.  When  a  person  is  in  a  big  city  like  this  they  can 
not  go  around  laughing  and  talking  with  everybody.  If  they  do 
they  are  liable  to  land  in  a  saloon,  gambling  den,  or  house  of  ill- 
fame,  unless  Providence  spares  them.  Last  night  when  Charles  and 
I  were  coming  home,  we  passed  a  ball-room.  There  was  music  and 
dancing  there.  I  said  I  would  not  be  in  that  room  for  all  the  world. 
We  had  a  wonderful  meeting  at  the  Mission.  The  altar  was  filled 
when  the  invitation  was  given,  and  all  over  the  hall  the  people  were 
shouting,  crying,  and  dancing.  It  was  heaven  below.  O  how  I  wish 
you  could  have  been  there.  The  half  has  never  yet  been  told,  so 
there  is  no  use  trying  to  tell  it.  I  am  on  my  way  to  glory.  Glory 
to  God,  there  is  only  one  way,  and  that  is  by  the  royal  way  of  the 
cross.    It  is  good  to  know  Jesus. 

"Then  forward  still,   'tis- Jehovah's  will, 
Tho'  the  billows  dash  and  spray ; 
With  a  conquering  tread  we  will  push  ahead, 
He'll  roll  the  sea  away." 


OR   THE    LIFK    OF    r.EUTIlA    RASMUSSEN  53 

I  feel  just  like  Roing  through  with  Jesus.  The  Lord  did  bless  me  so 
last  night.  Hallelujah.  "  Ye  shall  receive  power  after  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you."  "  Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy." 
Good-by,  dear  ones.  Your  own  loving  sister, 

Bertha. 

St.  Louis,  February,  1900. 
Dear  Bessie  :  Ma  and  Charles  came  down  here.     I  do  not  know- 
where  we  will  be  next  year.     I  feel  as  if  we  would  not  be  here,  for 
I  don't  think  God  wants  us  to  stay  much  longer. 

A  little  while  our  conflicts  will  be  over, 
A  little  while  the  griefs  that  know  us  now, 
Will  turn  to  heaven's  brightest  day. 

I  e.xpect.  if  God  is  willing,  to  get  another  l-Hik  at  dear  old  Sunny- 
side,  where  we  spent  such  pleasant  days,  as  well  as  many  sad  ones. 

I  am  justified,  sanctified,  happified,  and  expect  to  be  glorified.  1 
am  on  the  road  to  glory.  Hallelujah.  Don't  give  up  until  you  get 
a'  clean  heart.  "Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall 
find;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you:  for  every  one  that 
asketh  receiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh  findeth ;  and  to  him- that 
knocketh  it  shall  be  opened?  "     Matt.  T-T,  8. 

Your  loving  sister.  Bertha. 

Dear  Bessie:  I  have  victory  in  my  soul,  and  I  have  a  message 
line  that  goes  straight  through  to  glory,  and  there  is  no  fear  of  the 
message  being  lost. 

We  have  felt  for  some  time  that  our  time  here  would  soon  be 
out.  I  am  sure  I  am  resigned  to  God,  and  if  He  wanted  me  to  stay 
1  would  do  so  without  a  murmur,  but  we  have  lately  been  led  in 
another  direction. 

We  were  at  the  Mission  last  night.  I  need  not  tell  you  we  had 
a  glorious  time.  It  was  what  you  might  call  a  "  Hallelujah  meet- 
ing." Brother  was  just  jumping  so  nice,  and  ma  was  testify- 
ing, and  she  got  so  happy  she  started  jumping  too,  and  another 
good  soul  got  so  happy  she  went  down  the  aisles  shouting,  and  at 
last  fell,  but  soon  got  up  and  at  it  again.     I  hope  if  we  leave  St. 


54-  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

Louis  we  will  get  to  a  place  where  they  have  some  fire  in  them.  I 
know  God  is  everywhere,  but  it  is  good  to  be  with  some  of  His 
fire-baptized  children. 

There  was  an  awful  fire  on  Broadway,  the  worst  there  has  ever 
been  in  St.  Louis,  they  say.  They  don't  know  how  many  lives  were 
lost  before  they  could  check  it. 

"Follow  peace  with  all.  men,  and  holiness,  without  which  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord."  If  you  come  out  and  out  for  Jesus,  you 
will  have  persecutions ;  but  Jesus  promises  us  that.  Read  the 
Beatitudes  in  Alatthew.  It  says  in  God's  Word,  "  Come  out  from 
among  them."  Are  we  going  to  obey?  I  am  your  loving  sister,  who 
daily  intercedes  in  your  behalf  at  the  throne  of  God.  O,  get  in 
earnest;  you  will  never  get  holiness  any  other  way.  Ijektha. 

Dear  Bessie  :  To-day  it  started  to  snow,  and  it  was  so  pretty 
as  I  looked  out  of  the  office  window  on  the  large  white  Hakes  com- 
ing down  in  abundance  from  the  darkened  sky.  I  am  in  Charles's 
press-room  now,  where  there  is  a  nice  fire.  We  are  trusting  in 
Jesus  for  all.     Praise   His   name. 

"  Must   I    be   carried   to  the   skies 
On  flowery  beds  of  ease. 
While  others  fought  to  win  the  prize, 
And  sailed  through  bloody  seas? 

"  Sure  I   must  fight,  if  I   would  reign ; 
Increase  my  courage.   Lord ; 
I'll  bear  the  toil,  endure  the  pain, 
Supported  by  thy  word." 

You  will  have  opposition,  of  course,  if  you  get  sanctified  and 
strike  out  for  Jesus  alone;  but  we  can  expect  that.  Read  Rev.  7:  14. 
I  know  that  I  am  ready  to  meet  my  just  God,  should  His  Beloved 
Son   come  to  take  His  own. 

"  The  Lord  shall  fight  for  you,  and  ye  shall  hold  your  peace," 
was  the  instrument  that  shivered  that  hanging  rock  into  a  thousand 
atoms.  Have  a  firm  hold  on  God  in  prayer.  It  is  our  only  hope, 
for  the  Bible  tells  about  prayers  and  faith  moving  mountains.  Just 
think  what  it  would  mean  to  us  if  we  were  deprived  of  prayer. 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    UFKTIIA    RASMUSSEN  55 

Yesterday    D and    I    went   out    for    a   walk    before    Sunday- 

scliool,  and  gave  out  tracts  as  we  went.  We  first  walked  west  on 
Clark  Avenue  until  we  could  go  no  further  in  that  direction,  and 
so  we  went  a  roundabout  way,  half  the  time  not  knowing  where  we 
were,  but  at  last  struck  Clark  again  and  started  for  Jefferson  Ave- 
nue, as  we  thought  it  was  time  to  go  home.  As  we  were  going 
along  we  passed  a  Catholic  Church ;  and  as  the  meeting  was  out. 
the  street  was  thronged  with  people.  We  gave  them  some  tracts; 
and  when  we  got  even  with  the  church,   we  saw  a  boy  giving  out 

slips  of  paper  some   larger  than  our  tracts.     D used  to  be   a 

Catholic,  so  she  asked  him  for  one,  and  what  do  you  think,  it  was 
merely  nothing  but  an  advertisement  for  a  grand  ball  for  St.  Pat- 
rick's Day.  Isn't  it  awful,  right  in  front  of  the  church  on  Sunday. 
Our  tracts  we  were  distributing  told  of  a  girl  who  lost  her  soul 
over  a  ball.     I  believe  God  will  bless  those  we  gave  out. 

In  the  afternoon,  it  being  such  a  lovely  day,  we  mustered  up 
our  forces,  and  separating  into  two  bands,  went  to  hold  street 
meetings.  Our  band  went  on  Choteau  Avenue.  We  had  a  splendid 
meeting,  and  after  giving  out  tracts  to  the  listeners,   Charles   and 

W went  home,  and  the  rest  of  us  went  into  saloons,  and  then 

around  the  depot,  and  on  home. 

I  am  sorry  you  are  lonesome  and  when  you  spoke  of  having  my 
room  so  nice,  it  took  effect.  It  makes  me  think  of  the  loving  hand 
that  did  it  all,  prompted  by  a  loving  heart.  God  bless  you  for  it.  I 
would  come  and  always  be  with  you,  I  believe,  were  it  not  that 
I  feel  I  have  a  work  to  do  in  this  world,  and  need  an  education  to 
prepare  for  it.  I  know  not  what  my  work  is,  but  God  does,  and 
He  is  directing  our  course  that  way.  I  mean,  though,  to  spend  at 
least  two  months  with  you  this  summer,  the  Lord  willing;  and  I 
suppose  I  shall  see  you  more  or  less  every  summer,  but  I  can  not 
promise  anything,  as  I  know  not  what  may  come.  I  know  not  my 
future ;  God  alone  does.  I  think,  though,  it  will  satisfy  you  if  you 
know  I  am  preparing  myself  for  a  life  of  usefulness  in  God's 
service.  I  should  dearly  love  to  spend  a  few  months  with  you 
this  summer.  We  will  be  able,  I  think,  to  tell  you  more  of  our 
plans  and  convictions  as  to  our  education  in  the  next  letter.  We 
belong  to   Gad,  and  when  we   follow   Him,  we  can  never  make  a 


56  A   YOUNG    AMISSION ARY 

failure.  When  you  are  lonesome,  and  earnestly  wish  to  see  us, 
and  we  can  not  come,  leave  it  all  with  the  Lord;  for  if  we  settle 
down,  what  could  we  do  for  the  world;  and  when  God  has  called 
us  to  bestir  ourselves,  where  would  we  be  in  the  next  ?  1  know 
somewhat  how  you  feel,  my  dear  sister,  and  will  try  to  get  home  a 
little  while  this  sununer.  God  bless  you.  1  know  you  would  dearly 
love  to  have  us  do  something  for  Jesus. 

"  May  your  joy  be  as  deep  as  the  ocean, 
And  your  sorrow  as  light  as  its  foam." 

I  remain  your  loving  sister,  Bektiia. 

De.\k  BE.ssiii :  W'e  have  been  looking  around  for  some  time  for 
a  college  or  school  where  we  could  get  a  Christian  education,  and 
we  have  been  directed  to  AIcGee  Holiness  -College,  College  AJound, 
Mo.  After  praying  and  considering  the  matter,  ma  wrote  about  it, 
and  received  an  answer  that  the  way  was  open  for  us  to  enter 
whenever  we  came.  That  brought  us  to  our  knees  for  God's  direc- 
tion, and  after  much  praying  we  all  felt  it  was  God's  will.  O  how 
good  He  is  to  open  the  way  for  our  education.  Don't  worry  about 
us;  the  Lord  will  take  care  of  us.  I  can  see  His  loving  hand  in  it 
all.  God  bless  you  for  all  your  goodness  to  us.  Ma  has  been 
visiting  the  last  few  days. 

We  just  got  the  paper  out,  and  have  been  real  busy  with  it. 
Saturday  I  was  in  the  press-room  helping  Charles  print,  as  he  w'as 
very   busy.     I   inked  the  board. 

Yesterday  afternoon  W ,  T ,  D ,  and  I  went  and  held 

a  street  meeting  on  Papin  Street.  Yesterday  was  St.  Patrick's 
parade,  and  the  newspaper  states  that  a  motorman  on  a  street-car 
was  almost  mobbed  for  attempting  to  break  the  parade  so  he  could 
go  on.  When  he  would  not  stop,  they  shouted,  "  JNIob  him !  "  He 
rushed  inside  the  car  for  protection,  and  the  crowd  would  have 
broken  in  the  car  after  him  had  not  a  number  of  policemen  ap- 
peared on  the  scene,  and  standing  at  the  door  of  the  car  warded 
off  the  crowd  of  enraged  people. 

Yesterday  afternoon  there  was  a  tramp  here,  and  he  got  saved. 
Some  of  us  had  given  him  a  tract  on  the  street,  and  told  him  to 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  57 

come  liere.  We  know  not  how  nuich  ,v;ood  a  tract  may  do,  but  we 
know  many  times  it  has  resulted  well.  Praise  Jesus!  They  shall 
not  return  unto  us  void,  but  shall  accomplish  that  whereunto  He 
has  sent  it. 

Sister  D and  I  went  to  the  store  to-night,  and  were  weighed. 

We  each  weighed,  according  to  those  scales,  143  pounds.  Pretty 
good  weight  for  a  girl  only  fourteen  ;  but  I  will  be  fifteen  liefore 
very  long.  God  bless  you  for  all  your  kindness  to  us.  Jesus  says, 
"As  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye 
have  done  it  unto  me."  I  am  saved  and  sanctified,  halleluiah,  and 
mean  to  go  every  step  of  the  way. 

Your  loving  sister. 

Mv   Dear  :   I   hear  some  bad   reports  about  .     If  they 

are  true,  they  are  getting  into  the  lowest  stages  of  gross  immorality. 
I  tell  ycu  we  have  to  be  awfully  careful  whom  we  associate  with.  It 
is  only  through  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  that  He  has  given  us 
mothers  that  brought  us  up  right,  held  us  back  instead  of  pushing 
ui  into  things  that  are  wrong.  How  much  we  have  to  thank  God 
for. 

There  is  a  Mr.   S ,  a  missionary  to  the  mountaineers   in--  the 

South,  here.  He  says  the  mountaineers  are  ignorant  and  poor. 
They  hardly  have  clothes  for  their  children,  and  about  all  they  have 
to  eat  is  corn-bread  made  of  corn  meal  and  water  and  baked,  hog 
grease,  and  tobacco.  He  says  they  are  eager  for  teachers,  and  that 
they  are  so  hospitable  that  a  teacher  is  sure  of  being  cared  for  if 
they  go  there.  He  told  us  many  interesting  things.  I  guess  we  can 
find  something  to  do  in  our  own  dear  land  all  right,  if  we  are  not 
called  to  the  foreign  field. 

Always  bear  in  mind  that  you  are  getting  your  education  for  the 
glory  of  God,  and  must  be  used  for  Him. 

I  have  seen  a  good  many  people  here.  I  saw  S.  B.  Shaw.  A 
great  many  of  the  people  I  have  met  since  coming  here  I  expect  I 
will  not  see  again  until  we  all  shall  meet  in  the  glory  land,  or  before 
the  Judge  of  all  the  earth.     I  know  I  am  right  with  God. 

It  was  so  dark  before  dinner  that  some  of  the  office  workers  quit 
setting  type,  and  some  went  for  lamps.  I  can  hear  the  trains  puffing. 
They  are  continually  going  under  the  Choteau  bridge.     We  often 


58  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

go  down  there.     It  is  only  a  short  distance.     One  day  Sister  C 

and  I  went  down  on  the  foot-bridge,  and  stood  watching  the  trains 
go  under  and  talking.  When  we  were  going  to  go  home,  a  train 
puffed  out  smoke,  and  it  came  through  the  cracks  in  the  bridge,  and 
we  were  enveloped  in  smoke  so  we  could  not  see  for  a  while. 

We  have  not  time  here  for  all  study.  We  have  to  work  in  the 
office.  We  have  Bible  study,  word  analysis,  grammar,  and  physi- 
ology. I  am  so  thankful  for  all  the  physiology  talks.  They  say  if 
you  take  seven  full  breaths  of  fresh  air  a  day  you  will  not  have 
consumption  nor  pneumonia,  and  I  tell  you  nobody  can  get  a  full 
breath  who  wears  a  corset.  No  one  probably  knows  bow  many 
women  have  gone  to  the  grave,  and  are  going  right  along,  from 
the  wearing  of  corsets.  I  think  physiology  is  one  of  the  most 
essential  studies  you  can  get.  In  Kansas  children  are  compelled  to 
study  it  from  five  years  and  up,  and  never  -graduate.  You  can  tell 
people  that  corsets  and  anything  tight  is  bad,  but  they  need  to  get 
into  their  heads  what  it  injures,  and  how'  it  does  it.  With  all  I 
know  about  them  I  purpose  never  to  wear  one  as  long  as  I  live.  God 
does  not  want  us  to  sin  against  our  bodies.  I  can  hardly  bear  to 
see  my  dear  friends  hurting  their  lives. 

Well,  good-by.     Be  true  to  God.     Pray  much.  Bertha. 

My  Precious  Sister  :  Last  night  we  went  to  the  Mission,  where 

we  had  a  good  meeting.     Sunday  Sister  D and  I  gave  out  tracts 

and  visited  people.  We  went  to  some  places  where  we  had  never 
been  before.  We  had  a  good  time,  and  the  promise  of  five  or  more 
Sunday-school  children. 

We  are  all  well  and  happy  in  Jesus.     Before  you  decide  to  .stay 

with   ,    I    hope   you    will   take   into   consideration    what   I    wrote 

you  some  time  ago.  Shun  evil  companions.  I  love  you,  and  am 
interested  in  you. 

Jesus  is  my  all  in  all  to-night,  a  very  present  help  in  time  of 
trouble. 

"  Oh,  'twas  love,  love. 
Love  that  moved  the  Mighty  God, 
Love,  love,  'twas  love  found  me." 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    UEKTllA    RASMUSSEN  59 

"  Here  friends  assemble, 

Hand  and   heart. 
Whom  life  may  sever, 

Death  must  part. 
Sweet  be  their  deaths, 

Their  lives  well  spent; 
And  these  their 

I'riendship's  monument." 

My  dear, — 

"Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us 
We  can  make  our  lives  sublime, 
And,  departing,  leave  behind  us 
Footprints  on  the  sands  of  time ; 
Footprints,  that  perhaps  another, 
Sailing   o'er   life's   solemn   main, 
A  forlorn  and  shipwrecked  brother, 
Seeing,  shall  take  heart  again." 

There  goes  the  bell  for  singing-school.  Be  true  to  God.  It 
pays  both  in  this  life  and  in  the  next.  Bless  God  for  salvation.  I 
am  free  from  sin ;  striving  for  a  crown.  I  remain  your  loving 
sister,  determined  by  the  grace  of  God  to  make  my  home  in  a  better 
world.  Bertha. 

My  Dear  Alice:  Last  Sunday  night  Charles  and  I  went  to  hear 
Amanda  Smith.  She  spoke  splendidly.  The  house  was  packed.  I 
suppose  you  have  heard  of  her. 

Sunday  afternoon  we  had  another  good  street  meeting  on  Chest- 
nut. After  that  we  divided,  and  some  went  into  saloons,  and  the 
rest  of  us  went  around  distributing  tracts  till  our  supply  gave  out. 
Bless  God  for  salvation.  He  is  a  friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a 
brother ;  a  very  present  help  in  time  of  trouble.  I  have  proven  that 
to  be  true.  It  pays  to  be  true  to  God  every  time.  I  know  this 
morning  that  1  am  a  child  of  a  king. 

"God  is  our  wisdom;  God  is  our  might; 
God  ever  near  us,  guiding  us  right. 


6o  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

He  understands  us;  knows  all  our  need. 
Trusting  in  Him,  we'll  surely  succeed." 

"  To  God  only  wise,  be  glory,  through  Jesus  Christ,  for  ever. 
Amen."  Rom.  i6 :  zj.  "  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be 
with  you  all."  Rom.  i6 :  24.  "  Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall 
revile  you,  and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evi! 
against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake.  Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad: 
for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven."  Glory  and  honor  and  majesty 
to  our  God. 

Here  I  am  sitting  on  some  steps  going  down  to  the  railroad 
tracks,  eating  ginger  snaps.  I  wish  you  were  here,  for  I  know  you 
like  them.  There  is  a  railroad  in  front  of  us,  and  green  things  all 
around.  VVc  are  out  in  Carondelet  and  in  the  park.  It  is  so  sunny 
here,  and  if  wishes  could  do  anything  you  would  be  at  my  side 
enjoying  it;  but  as  they  can  not,  it  is  no  use  to  wish.  Chickens 
are  cackling,  and  it  sounds  like  home.  There  is  a  country  well 
here,  and  everything  is  green,  and  to  my  right  is  a  country  road 
wliich  reminds  me  of  home.  I  thought  you  would  enjoy  having  me 
write  to  you  when  I  was  right  here,  so  1  did.  O  how  beautiful  the 
world  we  live  in  is.  It  looks  so  much  like  the  country  here;  the 
grass  is  so  green  and  nice.  We  expect  to  stay  until  Monday.  People 
are  beginning  to  pass  pretty  fast,  and  the  day  is  waning,  and  I  must 
go.     It  is  a  beautiful  spring  evening.     Good-by  from  here. 

Charles  and  I  have  just  been  down  to  the  river,  where  I  expected 
to  write,  but  found  it  too  cold.  We  sat  on  a  plank,  shaded  by  a 
log.  There  were  some  steamboats  some  distance  south  of  us,  and 
all  along  the  shore  are  houses  built  with  boats  under  them,  so  when 
the  water  rises  they  sail  around  with  it,  I  suppose. 

Well,  bless  God  for  salvation  more  than  ail.  Be  true  to  God 
in  every  time  and  place.  I  remain  your  true  friend,  striving  for  a 
home  in  heaven,  where  parting  is  not  known.  Bertua. 

From  her  jotirnal :  — 

March,  1900. — 

"  O  God,  our  help  in  ages  past. 
Our  hope  for  years  to  come, 


BEiRTHA'S  FRIEND  AlylCE. 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  63 

Our  shelter   from  the   stormy  blast, 
And  our  eternal  home !  " 

Never  did  Jesus  seem  so  precious.  I  am  glad  I  have  a  through 
ticket  to  glory. 

.Monday  Morning,  April  3,  1900. —  We  started  for  College 
Mound  at  9:  15  a.  m.  We  got  to  Moberly  about  i  :  00  p.  m.,  and  we 
changed  cars  for  Excello,  where  we  arrived  about  two  o'clock.  We 
waited  there  until  night,  then  came  out  here  to  College  Mound.  The 
sisters  have  arranged  for  us  to  have  a  room,  and  they  furnished  it 
the  best  they  could ;  and  the  night  we  moved  in  they  came  with  a 
whole  lot  of  provisions,  and  gave  us  a  start,  so  you  see  all  things 
work  together  for  good  to  those  that  love  God.  I  like  the  people 
here  so  much.  They  are  so  kind.  It  is  a  splendid  Holiness  Col- 
lege. I  beheve  more  than  ever  that  God  was  in  our  coming  here. 
I  belong  to  Him,  and  He  is  just  the  same  to-day,  yesterday,  and 
forever.  He  never  changes.  "  Jesus  is  my  all  in  all ;  a  never-failing 
friend."  "Anywhere  with  Jesus  I  am  not  afraid."  "'  Other  friends 
may  fail  me.   He  is  .still  my  own." 

I  like  the  school  better  every  day,  and  I  like  the  teachers,  too.  T 
love  to  go  to  school.  These  people  are  very  spiritual,  and  I  love 
them.  I  used  to  long  for  an  education,  but  did  hot  see  how  I  ever 
was  going  to  get  one.  I  did  not  realize  that  God  was  looking  out  for 
that,  and  was  already  working  it  out.-  The  first  thing  was  for  me 
to  go  to  St.  Louis.  I  always  believed  that  God  led  me  there,  and  I 
do  to-day ;  l)Ut  I  never  felt  that  He  wanted  me  to  stay  so  very  long, 
and  I  had  a  clear  evidence  our  time  there  was  ended,  and  we  ought 
to  leave  when  we  did,  and  from  there  He  led  us  here. 

'ihey  had  a  temperance  meeting  here  last  Sunday.  I  tell  you  that 
is  what  I  am  interested  in.  I  have  seen  enough  of  the  curse  of  the 
damning  stufif,  and  I  am  ready  to  throw  myself  in  the  balance 
against  it. 

"  I'll  go  where  you  want  me  to  go,  dear  Lord, 
Over  mountain,  or  plain,  or  sea ; 
I'll  say  what  you  want  me  to  say,  dear  Lord, 
I'll  be  what  you  want  me  to  be." 


64  A    VOUNG    MISSIONARY 

Jesus  saves,  sanctifies,  and  keeps  nie,  and  He  has  never  left  nor 
forsaken  me. 

Here  is  a  piece  written  for  publication  in  the  interest  of 
the  school  the  first  term  she  was  there :  — 

McGEE    HOLINESS    COLLEGE. 

I  feel  it  my  duty  to  write  in  the  interest  of  the  school.  I  will  say 
that  there  are  not  many  schools  that  can  compete  with  it.  In  say- 
ing this,  we  are  not  exaggerating,  but  are  .stating  facts.  The  godly 
as  well  as  the  moral  influence  of  this  school  is  splendid,  and  every- 
thing tends  to  lead  one  upward. 

We  have  chapel  services  every  morning  from  8:30  to  9:00 
o'clock,  when  the  word  of  God  is  read  and  expounded,  hymns 
sung,  and  opportunities  for  testimony  give;i.  Another  great  feature 
of  the  school  is  the  Bible  class.  All  Christians  will  admit  that  the 
Bible  is  the  most  important  study  there  is.  It  is  by  the  Bible  that 
we  are  to  be  judged,  and  therefore  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  knowl- 
edge of  what  is  in  it.  The  Christian  people  of  to-day  know  com- 
paratively little  about  the  Bible.  This  is  a  truth  which  ought  not 
to  be,  and  is  the  cause  of  many  being  shipwrecked  and  going  into 
fanaticism.  They  have  very  little  idea  of  the  great  truths  con- 
tained in  that  blessed  Book  of  books.  It  is  an  exceedingly  profound 
book.  The  more  we  dig  into  it,  the  more  we  see  in  it.  A  person 
who  intends  to  be  a  worker  for  the  Lord  must  be  well  founded  on 
the  Bible. 

The  study  of  the  Bible  is  foremost  in  this  school.  One  hour 
each  morning  is  devoted  to  it.  We  are  studying  the  tabernacles  from 
a  scientific  standpoint ;  comparing  the  literal  tabernacle  with  the 
human  body.  It  is  truly  a  profound  study ;  and  as  I  sit  in  the 
class  from  day  to  day,  and  study  His  blessed  Word,  the  more  I 
can  see  the  wisdom  of  an  infinite  God.  The  Bible  is  the  deepest 
book  of  science  you  can  find. 

I  don't  believe  the  people  fully  comprehend  the  opportunities 
they  have  of  sending  their  children  to  a  Christian  school.  Dear 
friends,  especially  you  who  intend  to  work  for  the  Lord,  can  you 
afford  to  miss  this  Bible  class?     You  will  get  truths  here  that  you 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    13ERTIIA    RASiMUSSEN  65 

can  not  from  any  commentary.  You  will  get  a  foimdation  upon 
which  to  build;  something  that  will  go  with  j'ou  all  through  life, 
and  will  not  forsake  you  when  you  come  to  die. 

Any  wiio  come  to  this  school  will  be  kindly  welcomed.  The 
teachers  are  very  kind,  and  will  do  all  in  their  power  to  help  you 
in  your  studies.  When  I  came  here  1  thought  I  had  never  received 
a  kinder  welcome  anywhere.  Come  at  once.  You  can  not  afford  to 
lose  a  day.  We  pass  this  way  but  once,  then  let  us  improve  every 
opportunity.  Any  one  who  would  like  a  catalogue,  or  any  other  in- 
formation, address  Prof.  E.  E.  Taylor,  president.  College  IMound, 
Mo. 

I  shall  be  glad  to  take  part  in  welcoming  any  who  may  come.  I 
am  here  endeavoring  to  fit  myself  for  a  life  of  usefulness.  God 
opened  the  way  for  me  to  come  when  it  seemed  impossible,  and  He 
can  do  the  same  for  you.  There  is  a  saying,  "  To  see,  is  to  believe;  " 
so  if  you  don't  quite  believe  all  that  I  have  been  telling  you  about 
the  school,  come  and  see  for  yourself.  You  who  really  want  to 
come,  but  don't  see  how  you  can,  ask  God  to  help  you.  Nothing  is 
impossible  with  God.    Yours  in  the  battle  for  truth  and  right. 

Bertha. 

My  Dear  Sister  and  Brother:  O  how  God  leads  His  children 
into  green  pastures.  I  see  His  blessed  hand  in  all,  and  we  cast  our 
care  on  Him,  for  He  careth  for  us.  Jesus  is  my  refuge  and  strength, 
a  very  present  help  in  trouble.  I  can  not  see  everything  clear  ahead, 
but  God  has  said,  "  The  Lord  shall  fight  for  you,  and  ye  shall  hold 
your  peace."  Ex.  14:14.  I  take  that  promise,  and  leave  it  all  in 
His  hand,  and  go  ahead,  and  not  worry,  or  cross  any  bridges  until  I 
reach  them,  or  shed  any  borrowed  tears.  The  Lord  has  wonderfully 
fulfilled  that  promise  for  me  before,  and  He  is  just  the  same  now 
and  forever.  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  not  one  word 
of  that  blessed  book  shall  fail ;  so  we  ought  to  feel  secure,  and  not 
go  around  looking  as  if  we  had  lost  our  last  friend. 

Praise  God.  I  like  College  Mound  people  so  much.  Charles  is 
to  lead  the  young  people's  meeting  to-night.  He  is  eighteen  years 
old  to-day.  God  bless  you  for  all  your  kindness  to  us.  I  like  the 
school  every  day.     I   like  the  teachers,  too,     I  bless  God  for  such 


66  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

privileges  as  we  enjoy.     We  have  a  cozy  little  room  here,  and  God 
has  promised  that  the  cruse  of  oil  shall  not  fail  nor  the  measure  of 
meal,  and  I  trust  Him  for  all.     I  feel  safe.    I  am  saved,  O  hallelujah. 
I  remain  your  ever  true  sister  to  stand  for  God  and  truth. 

Bertha 

My  Precious  Alice:  You  speak  of  walking  up-town  and  getting 
so  tired.  I  know  what  that  is,  for  I  walked  a  great  deal  when  in 
St.  Louis,  and  sometimes  I  would  be  so  tired  I  could  hardly  walk 
home.  Nearly  every  Sunday,  when  the  weather  was  fit  to  go  (and  it 
nearly  always  was),  I  would  walk  around  so  much  giving  out  tracts, 
hunting  up  Sunday-school  children,  going  to  street  meetings  and 
going  to  missions,  that  by  night  my  feet  would  be  so  tired  and  sore 
that  I  could  hardly  walk.  I  have  had  some  wonderfully  good 
times  in  St.  Louis.  I  remember  many  sunny  days  when  I  would 
go  to  the  depot  and  around  the  corner  to  the  store.  I  would  so 
often  think  of  you.  If  it  be  God's  will  I  will  yet  see  you  face  to 
face,  when  we  can  talk  our  hearts  out,  and  not  have  to  depend  on  a 
feeble  pen  to  portray  our  deepest  thoughts,  feelings,  and  words. 
Bless  God,  I  am  the  child  of  a  King.  My  mind  wanders  back  to 
St.  Louis  so  much  this  morning.    I  am  so  glad  I  ever  was  there. 

I  am  glad  got  saved.     I  hope  she  will  stick  to  it  this  time. 

If  she  does  not.  I  am  afraid  the  devil  will  get  her  after  all.  I  am 
glad  you  are  still  saved.  Be  true  to  God;  it  pays.  We  pass  this 
way  but  once.  What  we  do  must  be  done  quickly;  the  night  cometh 
when  no  man  can  work.     I  am  still  saved  and  sanctified. 

Your  loving  sister.  Bertha. 

Precious  Sister  and  Brother  : 

"There  is  room  for  us  all  in  heaven. 
Where  the  blood-washed  never  part." 

I  have  been  out  in  the  country  this  week.  It  is  quite  a  pretty 
country  out  there. 

We  had  a  wonderfully  good  prayer-meeting  yesterday  afternoon. 
I  believe  it  was  one  of  the  best  ones  I  ever  was  in.  We  had  a 
blessed  time.     Nearly  every  one  seemed  touched.     I  wish  you  could 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  67 

come  down  here  and  go  to  school.  It  would  be  the  best  place  for 
30U,  if  you  are  called  to  preach,  for  I  never  in  my  life  saw  a  man 
that  knew  so  much  about  the  Bible  as  Professor  Taylor,  and  he  has 
the  Bible  class  in  his  room.  He  is  talking  of  taking  the  whole  Bible 
through  next  winter;  and  Oh!  if  he  don't  get  in  the  deep  things  in 
the  Bible.  I  like  to  study  the  Bible,  and  am  so  glad  I  ever  got  to 
come  here. 

1  am  still  saved,  praise  God.  Bertha. 

College  Mound,  Mo.,  April,  1900. 

My  Precious  Sister  Alice:  It  is  such  a  beautiful  evening.  I  like 
the  people  here  so  much.  I  like  every  one  of  the  teachers.  I  study 
nearly  all  day  long.     I  like  to  study. 

I  used  to  tell  you  about  riding  on  the  street-cars  while  you  had 
to  go  on  a  stage-coach,  but  I  guess  I  am  in  about  as  small  a  town 
now.  The  trains  do  not  run  through  College  ]\Iound,  but  do  to 
Excello,  about  five  miles  from  here.  This  place  is  about  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  miles  nearer  you  than  St.  Louis.  As  for  com- 
ing up  there  this  summer,  all  I  can  do  is  to  pray  God's  will  to  be 
done  in  the  matter.  My  precious  sister,  I  shall  never  forget  you ; 
I  shall  always  be  your  friend,  and  pray  for  you.  Jesus  is  a  friend 
that  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother,  and  if  we  have  Him  we  are  all 
right.    Of  course  it  is  natural  to  want  to  see  those  we  love. 

I  like  this  college  very  much.  We  do  not  board.  We  have  a 
room,  and  board  ourselves.  Yes,  I  think  of  you  as  the  same  old 
girl. 

Be  true  to  God. 

It  pays  to  serve  Jesus ; 

I  speak  from  the  heart. 
He'll  ever  be  with  us. 

If  we  do  our  part. 

It  is  such  a  beautiful  morning.  Quit  a  contrast  from  St.  Louis 
life.  The  birds  are  chirping  merrily,  and  everything  is  so  ni'ce.  Just 
think,  millions  of  these  birds  are  killed  to  put  on  women's  hats.  Is 
it  not  awful !    God  bless  you.    I  remain  your  ever  true  friend,  deter- 


6$  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

mined  to  dn  my  l)ost  and  ,sj<'iii  'i  lionic  in  Heaven.  Hallelujah!  I  am 
glad  [  am  the  Lord's,  saved,  sanctified,  and  on  good  terms  with  the 
Almighty.  Berth.\. 

I\Iv  Precioi's  Sister:  I  have  just  1)ccn  out  canvassing,  and  had 
good  success.  It  is  a  beautiful  evening,  and  I  am  out  on  the  west 
porch.  It  is  thundering  some.  It  is  cloudy  now,  but  not  raining.  I 
like  such  evenings. 

Charlie  has  been  helping  clean  some  of  the  rooms  at  the  College. 
I  am  getting  along  very  well  in  my  studies.  Those  pictures  I  am 
to  enlarge  have  not  come  back  from  St.  Louis  yet.  But  I  will  put 
in  my  time  canvassing  until  they  come.  I  just  like  to  study  so  much. 
Th.e  Lord  has  wonderfully  helped  us  since  we  came  here. 'This  prom 
ise  is  just  as  true  as  it  is  old!  "But  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  his  righteousness ;  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added 
unto  you,"  and  also  this  proverb,  "  The  Lord  helps  them  that  help 
themselves."  The  people  here  are  so  kind.  God  bless  them.  I 
believe  it  is  lightening.  Bless  God,  I  am  not  afraid  of  storms.  God 
has  taken  all  the  fear  out  of  me.  When  storms  and  the  like  come,  I 
feel  "  Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus."  O  what  a  happy  feeling.  Only 
the  true  Christian  knows  what  a  blissful  feeling,  and  how  secure 
we  feel  when  everything  looks  desolate,  dark,  and  stormy.  I  love 
Jesus  more  than  all.  I  do  love  Jesus  with  all  my  heart,  soul,  might, 
mind,  and  strength,  and  my  neighbor  as  myself.  I  feel  a  joy  and 
happiness  I  can't  e.\i)ress.  A  peace  that  the  world  can  not  give,  and, 
best  of  all,  can't  take  away.  If  the  world  could  take  it  away,  there 
would  not  be  much  hope  for  us.  Who  could  help  but  love  such  a 
Saviour. 

He  died  for  us  on  the  mountain ; 
For  us  they  pierced  His  side. 

For  lis  the  fountain  was  opened, 
The  cleansing  crimson  tide. 

For   us   He's   waiting   in   glory; 
He's  promised  never  to  leave  us, 
Never  to  leave  us  alone. 

O  bless  God,  it  would  do  you  so  much  good  if  you  could  be  at 
our  Bible  study.     There  is  no  success  outside  the  perfect  will  of  God 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    liERTIIA    KASMUSSEN  69 

O  the  thousands  who  have  tried  it  and  failed.  Just  think;  not  long 
until  the  second  advent  of  Christ.  Is  it  not  time  we  were  stretcii- 
ing  every  nerve  to  save  our  own  souls  and  others?  I  never  felt  it 
.so  forcibly  as  I  do  to-night  —  the  importance  of  making  our  lives 
count.  By  God's  assisting  grace  I  mean  to  tight  for  truth  and 
right  until  God  will  say  to  nie,  "It  is  enough,  come  up  higher;" 
"well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant:  thou  hast  been  faithful 
over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things;  enter 
lliou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 

I  liave  almost  learned  my  piece  for  Commencement.  It  is  a  fine 
temperance  piece.     It  has  twenty-eight  verses  in  it. 

Your  own,  Hektiia. 

.Mv  bic.vKEsi  Si.stek:  TJie  Lord  is  helping  us  right  out.  Bless 
His  almighty  and  eternal  name.  Saturday  night  that  box  came.  O 
how  nice  everything  was.  Best  of  all,  it  reminded  us  of  one  who 
sent  it.  It  is  such  a  blessing  to  have  the  privilege  of  going  to  school 
where  the  teachers  are  all  saved  and  sanctified,  and  who  live  their 
religion.  We  are  getting  along  pretty  well  in  (nir  studies.  This  is  a 
nice,  (|uiet  little  place.  JNly  piece  is  a  temperance  piece.  I  am  tem- 
perance through  and  through,  and  I  believe  every  true  Christian  is, 
and  I  do  not  believe  there  is  a  single  sickness  in  which  liquor  is 
needed  whatever,  and  if  people  can  not  trust  their  own  Creator,  who 
made  them,  with  their  bodies  and  souls  less  than  whisky.  I  am  still 
on  my  way  to  glory,  bless  God. 

The  other  day  we  went  to  Macon  City.  On  the  way  there  we 
passed  some  fruit  farms.  One  was  eighty  acres  of  orchard,  another 
si.xty  acres,  and  we  saw  what  is  called  the  model  farm  of  the  world. 
It  is  owned  by  a  millionaire.  He  takes  young  men  and  makes  sol- 
diers of  them.  We  also  saw  his  fair-grounds  and  racing-rings.  He 
owns  some  of  the  fastest  horses  in  the  world.  The  boys  are  taught 
to  dance.  They  have  a  lake  on  the  farm,  and  after  we  reached  the 
city  we  heard  that  one  of  the  boys  had  been  drowned.  His  mother 
was  in  Mexico,  and  this  was  her  only  son.  On  our  way  back  from 
the  city,  as  we  passed  there  we  saw  the  soldiers  sitting  on  the  hill 
smoking  cigarettes.  It  is  just  awful  to  think  of.  Parents  little 
realize  what  they  are  sending  their  children  to  when  they  send  them 


70  A    YOUNG    MISSIOXAKV 

there.     I   will   say  good-by,  with   lots   of   love.     I    remain  your  true 
sister,  Bertha. 

My  Precious  Si.ster: 

"  The  cross  that  He  gave  may  be  heavy, 
But  it  ne'er  outweighs  His  grace; 
The  storm  that  you  feared  may  surround  you, 
But  it  ne'er  excludes  His  face." 

"  Rock  of  ages,  cleft  ffjr  me, 
Let  me  hide  myself  in  thee." 

Charlie  is  over  in  the  office,  and  1  am  here  writing.  I  have  been 
working  on  the  pictures  off  and  on  all  day.  One  is  nearly  ready  to 
send  to  the  owner,  and  the  other  one  is  getting  along  pretty  well. 

I  would  not  be  a  single  person  under  the  sun  to-day  except  my- 
self. It  will  comfort  us  to  know  you  are  not  despondent  over  the 
fact  that  1  can  not  come  home  this  summer.  There  will  come  a  time 
some  day,  God  willing,  when  we  will  meet  again.  It  may  not  be  at 
Sunnyside,  though.  The  Lord  only  knows  where  we  will  be  five 
years  from  now,  or  even  one  year  or  less.  Time  is  flying  swiftly. 
What  is  done  must  be  done  quickly.  Oh  how  I  wish  you  could  be 
in  our  Revelation  class.  It  would  help  any  one  so  much.  My  mind 
often  wanders  back  to  old  times,  especially  to  my  Elk  Point  trip, 
and  how  God  took  care  of  us  girls  when  we  were  in  danger.  I  think 
sometimes  how  hard  it  must  be  for  you  to  be  separated  from  us  all, 
and  how  much  I  would  like  to  be  with  you ;  and  if  we  lived  to 
please  ourselves,  I  likely  would  be  there.  God  created  us  for  a 
difi^erent  purpose, —  that  of  working  for  humanity.  When  God  calls 
us  out  from  home,  we  often  have  to  leave  our  dearest  earthly  friends 
in  God's  care.  When  I  was  at  the  Missionary  Home  in  St.  Louis, 
I  often  sang  to  myself  in  bed, — 

"Anywhere  with  Jesus  I  can  go  to  sleep, 
When  the  darkening  shadows  round  about  me  creep ; 
Knowing  I  shall  waken  never  more  to  roam. 
Anywhere  with  Jesus  will  be  Home,  Sweet  Home." 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF   IIEKTIIA    RASMUSSEN  71 

It  is  a  beautiful  May  morning.  The  sun  is  shining  and  the  gras!~ 
is  sparkUng.  The  birds  are  singing  so  sweetly.  It  reminds  me  of 
the  May  mornings  a  year  ago.  The  grape-vines  are  climbing  around 
also.  I  will  soon  be  tifteen.  What  a  short  time  since  my  last  birth 
day.  ]\Iy  heart  is  too  full  to  write.  Pen  is  too  feeble  an  instrument 
for  the  occasion. 

It  is  twilight  now.  The  beautiful  sun  has  set  to  shine  on  other 
climes,  while  we  enjoy  a  night  of  rest.     It  is  a  beautiful  evening. 

I  have  now  reached  the  14th  Psalm  in  reading  the  Bible  through. 
Lately  I  have  been  getting  time  in  school  to  read  some  in  my  Bible, 
I  would  get  my  lessons  and  then  read.  I  just  love  the  Bible.  I 
have  never  appreciated  or  valued  it  so  much  as  this  year.  Many  arc 
the  battles  we  have  fought  —  of  course  it  was  not  us,  but  God  who 
fought  them  for  us  —  since  this  time  last  year.  We  are  either  getting 
better  or  worse  by  these  battles  of  life.  If  we  light  them  in  the 
strength  of  our  King,  we  shall  win  and  grow ;  but  if  we  let  the 
devil  do  the  winning,  we  will  pay  for  it,  and  that  dearly.  Every 
time  we  let  the  devil  defeat  ifs,  we  have  dropped  terribly  in  the 
5cale  of  life.  So  think  of  it  every  time  the  devil  defeats  you  in 
what  may  seem  a  small  matter  to  you,  that  it  has  taken  from  your 
life  a  great  deal  of  firmness  and  strength  that  you  can  not  afford  to 
spare.  God  will  give  you  strength,  of  course,  but  every  time  you 
gain  a  victory  you  are  that  much  stronger  to  win  the  next  battle 
through  Christ's  ever-needed  strength  and  aid. 

You  asked  about  our  convictions:  We  just  laid  it  before  God, 
and  listen  here :  "And  the  light  shall  shine  upon  thy  ways."  Job 
22:28.  Read  Job  22  to  the  close  of  the  chapter.  It  is  just  what 
you  need.  That  passage  was  one  of  my  particular  promises  when 
we  were  praying  about  coming  here.  "Ahd  the  light  shall."  One  of 
God's  shall's  means  more  than  ours.  They  mean  shall  in  the  true 
sense  of  the  word.  "  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with 
thy  might ;  for  there  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor 
wisdom,  in  the  grave,  whither  thou  goest." 

Good-by,  I  must  close.  Yours,  Bertha 

My  Precious  Alice:  I  just  received  your  letter.  I  am  sorry  you 
are  not  feeling  well,  and  that  you  are  getting  so  poor.     So  do   I 


72        .  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

think  of  by-gone  days.  I  am  so  glad  that  tlie  Lord  is  blessing  you, 
and  I  am  glad  we  can  write.  Well,  bless  God,  things  that  we  caii 
not  tell  any  one  else  on  account  of  absence  or  other  things  we  can 
tell  to  God.  O  my  own  dear  Alice,  you  are  just  like  a  sister  to  mt 
and  I  don't  think  there  is  a  soul  more  interested  in  your  welfare 
than  I  am.  O  how  I  miss  you  and  Bessie,  the  dearest  absent  friends 
I  have. 

My  piece  for  Commencement  is  about  the  result  of  one  drink 
It  is  so  sad.  It  was  an  awful  result.  It  is  about  a  young  marr 
who  left  his  Christian  parents  and  went  to  the  city.  He  was  invited 
to  a  party  by  his  employer's  beautiful  daughter,  and  there  she 
asked  him  to  have  a  glass  of  wine.  He  told  her  he  did  not  drink 
wine,  but  she  answered,  "  O  you'll  not  refuse  mc,  for  there  is  no 
harm  in  this  wine."  And  at  last  he  drank  it.  Then  came  the  sec 
ond  scene.  It  was  again  evening,  and  I  tell  about  a  sleighing  party 
and  this  same  young  lady  and  her  lover  occupy  the  lirst  sleigh 
They  have  a  runaway,  and  a  tramp  was  trampled  under  and  killed 
And  it  proved  to  be  that  boy  she  had  coaxed  to  take  his  first  glass 
of  wine.     And  it  then   says  — 

"  He  is  dead  ;  yes,  wine  did  it, 
Offered  by  a  maiden  sweet, 
Just  five  years  ago  to-night. 
Now  the  ruin  is  complete !  " 

Then  in  the  next  verse  it  implores  ladies  to  be  careful  about 
wrecking  people's  lives.  I  think  it  is  so  good.  I  like  temperance 
anyway.  I  will  soon  be  fifteen.  I  expect  I  will  spend  a  far  different 
birth.day  this  time  than  I  did  the  last  time.  Do  you  remember  how 
we  spent  the  first  Tuesday  after  ma  and  Charles  went  to  St.  Louis  ? 

"  Our  friends  on  earth  we  meet  with  gladness. 

How  swift  the  moments  Hy; 
But  ever  comes  the  thought  of  sadness, 

That  we  must  say  good-by. 
We'll  never  say  good-by  in  heaven, 

We'll  never  say  good-by, 
For  in  that  land  of  joy  and  song, 

We'll  never  say  good-by." 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    RERTIIA    RASMUSSEN  73 

You  remember  our  trip  and  stay  at  Wall  Lake  and  our  trip 
back  over  sloughs,  getting  something  to  eat  at  L— — ;  how  it  rained, 
and  I  lost  my  hat,  and  of  the  blessed  times  we  had  together.  My 
mind   is   wandering  back   this   morning.      I   well    remember   the   day 

I   came  back   from  taking   B to   the    Institute.     When    I   came 

driving  up  the  lane,  and  how  anxious  you  were  to  have  me  eat  all 
I  could  after  I  got  in  the  house,  but  I  was  too  happy  to  eat.  I  know 
I  felt  so  good.  What  happy  times  we  enjoyed  in  our  innocent 
childhood.  I  tell  you  we  want  to  keep  as  innocent  in  our  woman- 
hood. Let's  make  our  lives  sublime,  and  departing  leave  behind 
us  footprints  on  the  sands  of  time.  We  can  do  it  by  God's  help. 
I  must  close  now,  and  get  ready  for  school.  I  remain  as  ever  your 
true  friend,  and  in  the  fight  for  right.  Bertha. 

Journal.  June  4,  1900. —  I  am  fifteen  to-day.  Bless  God,  He 
has  tided  me  over  fifteen  years  of  my  life.  Jesus  saves  and  sanc- 
tifies me  now.    O  how  good  He  is  to  us. 

"  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son, 
rhat  whosoever  believeth  in  Him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life."     John  3  :  16. 

June  16. —  Bless  God,  I  am  still  alive,  and  on  my  way  to  glory. 
School  was  out  on  the  7th.  The  teachers  are  all  going  away  on  a 
vacation.  I  am  so  glad  Jesus  can  stay  with  us.  Camp-meeting  does 
not  start  until  August.  O  I  am  so  glad  we  have  a  Saviour  wlio  is 
mighty  to  save.  I  am  so  glad  God  ever  led  us  here.  It  pays  to  wait 
on  the  Lord.  God  meant  something  when  he  said  in  His  Word, 
"  Wait,  I  say,  on  the  Lord."  The  Lord  is  sending  in  things  in  the 
line  of  eatables.  He  is  not  going  to  see  us  go  hungry  if  we  obey 
Him  and  do  His  will. 

June  18. — "  But  the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered 
Fear  ye  not  therefore;  ye  are  of  more  value  than  many  sparrows." 
Oh  blessed  thought.     To  God  be  all  the  glory. 

My    soap   I    canvassed    for   came   this    evening,    and    I    delivered 

some  of  it.     I  went  down  to   Sr.  with  the  soap  she  ordered. 

She  was  feeling  very  bad  in  body,  so  I  stayed  longer  than  I  other- 


74  A    YOUXG    MISSIONARY 

wise  would  have  done.  I  prayed  with  her,  and  she  praj-ed.  She 
felt  better.  I  then  left,  and  went  over  to  G 's,  wlio  was  acci- 
dentally shot  a  week  ago,  and  stayed  with  him  a  long  time.  1  am 
saved,   sanctified,   and   ready   for  glory. 

June  19. —  I  am  so  glad  Jesus  has  saved  me  from  all  sin. 

Extract  from  a  letter :  — 

De.ar  Alice:  It  is  raining  now,  and  quite  dark.  I  have  just 
been  writing  in  my  journal.  I  have  kept  my  journal  now  since  I 
first  started.  People  going  from  place  to  place  make  a  journal 
([uite  interesting.  I  have  just  been  playing  the  guitar  and  singing 
a  song.     It  is  so  good  that  I  will  write  it  for  you  :  — 

"  Life  is  like  a  mountain   railroad 

With    an   engineer    that's    brave ; 
We  must  make  the  run  successful, 

From  the  cradle  to  the  grave. 
Watch  the  curves,  the  fills,  the  tunnels, 

Never   falter,   never  quail ; 
Keep  your  hand  upon  the  throttle. 

And  your  eye  upon  the  rail. 

"  Chorus: 

"  Blessed  Saviour,  Thou  wilt  guide  us 
Till  we  reach  that  blissful  shore, 
Where  the  angels  wait  to  join  us 
In  Thy  praise  forevermore. 

"  You  will  roll  up  grades  of  trial. 

You  will  cross  the  bridge  of  strife; 
See  that  Christ  is  your  conductor. 

On  this  lightning  train  of  life. 
Always  mindful  of  obstructions, 

Do  your  duty,  never  fail ; 
Keep  your  hand  upon  the  throttle, 

And  your  eye  upon  the  rail. 


OU   THE    LIFE    OF    J5ERT11A    KASMUSSEN  75 

"You   will   always    lind   ohstnictioiis ; 

Look  for  storms  of  wind  and  rain, 
On  a  fill,  or  curve,  or  trestle. 

They  will  almost  ditch  your  train. 
Put  your  trust  alone  in  Jesus, 

Never   falter,   never   fail; 
Keep  your  hand  upon  the  throttle, 

And  your  eye  upon  the  rail. 

"As  you    roll   across   the  trestle. 

Spanning  death's  dark  swelling  tide, 
You  behold  the  Union  Depot 

Into  which  your  train  will  glide. 
There  you'll  meet  the  Superintendent, 

God  the  Father,  God  the  Son, 
With  the  hearty,  joyous  plaudit, 

'  Weary  pilgrim,   welcome  home.'  " 

Hallelujah!  Alice,  every  word  of  that  is  as  true  as  can  be. 
God  bless  you,  and  make  you  a  brave  soldier,  one  that  will  go  any- 
where with  Jesus,  and  one  who  will  bear  the  taunts  and  scorn  of 
men,  and  not  fear.  I  earnestly  pray  that  I  may  be  one  of  that 
class. 


My  Dear  Sister:   I  just  sent  down  the  picture  I   enlarged  for 

Mrs.  .     I  got  a  lovely  frame  for  it.     This  is  such  a  quiet  place 

compared  to  St.  Louis.  I  remember  when  I  went  under  Choteau 
Bridge  the  last  time,  and  we  pulled  out  of  St.  Louis.  I  remember 
the  night  we  had  been  out  to  see  if  we  could  get  the  tent  for 
camp-meeting,  and  coming  home  a  storm  was  coming  up,  and  we 
went  in  such  a  hurry  and  picked  strawberries,  and  how  many  we 
had  to  eat.  A  storm  is  coming  up  now.  O,  thank  God,  I  know  my 
Father  holds  it  in  His  hand,  and  He  will  take  care  of  it.  The 
storm  is  here  in  all  its  fury,  but  bless  God,  my  soul  is  calm.  I  feel 
as  peaceful  as  a  child  in  its  mother's  arms.  Jesus  bade  the  winds 
"be   still"   when   He   was   with   His   disciples,   and   He  is   just  the 


76  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

same,  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.  Hallelujah.  I  thank  God 
I  am  not  afraid  of  storms.     He  has  taken  the  fear  all  away. 

O,  be  true  to  God.  How  very  true  it  is  that  we  pass  this  way 
but  once,  what  we  do  we  must  do  quickly.  Behold,  the  Bridegroom 
Cometh  as  a  thief  in  the  night.  May  He  find  us  watching,  with 
our  lamps  trimmed  and  burning.  Oh,  may  we  hear  Jesus  pro- 
nounce this  sentence  upon  us,  the  one  which  will  alone  give  us 
comfort  in  that  dreadful  hour  of  judgment,  "  Well  done,  thou  good 
and  faithful  servant:  thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things  I 
will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things :  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of 
thy  Lord."  It  may  seem  at  times  as  though  God  had  forsaken  us, 
but  we  have  an  evidence  that  He  has  not.  Who  is  it  that  keeps  our 
hearts  beating  from  day  to  day?  li  God  should  forget  us,'we  would 
drop  dead  in  a  moment.  When  we  see  the  beautiful  sun  wending 
its  way,  never  turning  right  nor  left,  but  keeping  straight  ahead,  al- 
ways doing  its  duty,  and  never  getting  out  of  its  course,  we  can 
think  what  great  care  God  takes  of  us.  And  when  God  can  keep 
all  the  planets  suspended  in  space,  how  much  more  can  He  keep  us. 

My !  how  time  flies.  Let  us,  then,  be  up  and  doing.  1  am  saved 
and  sanctified. 

"  Sweetly,  Lord,  have  we  heard  Thee  calling, 
Come  follow  me ! 
And  we  see  where  Thy  footprints  falling, 
Lead  us  to  Thee. 

"  Though  they  lead  o'er  the  cold,  dark  mountains, 
Seeking  His  sheep; 
Or  along  by   Siloam's   fountains, 
Helping  the  weak. 

"  If  they  lead  through  the  temple  holy, 
Preaching  the  Word ; 
Or  in  the  homes  of  the  poor  and  lowly, 
Serving  the  Lord. 

"  By   and  by,  through  the   shining  portals, 
Turning  our  feet, 


OR    THE    LIFE    OF    UERTIIA    RASMUSSEN  77 

We  shall  walk  with  the  glad  immortals, 
Heaven's  golden  street. 

"  Then  at  last  when  on  high  He  sees  us, 
Our  journey  done. 
We  shall  rest  where  the  steps  of  Jesus, 
End  at  his  throne. 

"  Chorus: 

"  Footprints  of  Jesus,  that  make  the  pathway  glow  ; 
We  will  follow  the  steps  of  Jesus,  where'er  they  go." 

Can  each  one  of  us  say  this  and  mean  it? 

Your  loving  sister,  Bertha. 

AIy  Dear  Alice:  Charles  and  I  were  out  for  a  walk.  We  went 
quite  a  ways  in  the  country.     We  wished  for  you. 

The  mantle  of  night  is  ahout  to  fall  on  us  while  it  lifts  itself 
from  other  climes,  leaving  them  to  enjoy  a  day  of  smishine.  The 
snn  shining  in  the  hazy  horizon  reminds  us  of  how  wonderfully 
God  has  planned  things.  We  realize  the  truth  of  this  verse,  "  The 
heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God;  and  the  firmament  showeth  his 
handiwork.  Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech,  and  night  unto  night 
showeth   knowledge."      Psalms    19:1,    2. 

Bless  God,  I  am  still  striving  to  make  a  home  in  heaven.  I 
expect  to  go  to  a  place  where  no  tears  are  shed,  and  where  the 
word  "  farewell  "  is  never  spoken.     Bless  God  for  that. 

In  St.  Louis  they  use  parasols  over  the  horses'  heads.  I  have 
hcen  over  to  Sister  's  nearly  all  day  ironing. 

Do  you  know  there  used  to  be  a  country  in  the  Old  World  called 
Poland?  It  was  conquered  by  the  Russians,  I  believe,  under  Max- 
imilian, who  killed  the  king.  The  heir  to  the  Polish  throne  and 
the  rest  of  the  royal  family  were  exiled.  The  heir  then  went  to 
Italy,  but  was  also  exiled  from  there.  He  then  came  to  the  United 
States,  and  was  bugler  in  the  Mexican  War,  I  believe.  Maximilian 
was  one  of  the  leading  generals  on  the  Mexican  side,  and  he  was 
killed  by  the  regiment  for  which  this  heir  was  bugler.  So  the 
murderer  of  his  father,  the  slain  king,  died  in  the  battle  he  was  in. 


78  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

This  heir  to  the  Polish  throne  is  a  temperance  lecturer  now,  and 
they  say  he  was  here  two  years  ago.  We  see  that  even  people  of 
high  positions  in  life  are  not  always  happy.  I  am  glad  I  am  heir 
to  a  throne  which  no  one  can  take  from  me.  Bless  God  for  that. 
I  am  heir  to  a  mansion,  a  robe,  and  a  crown. 

"  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."  John  3 :  16.  Is  not  the  amazing  love  of  Almighty 
God  wonderful  ? 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Let  no  the  wise  man  glory  in  his  wis- 
dom, neither  let  the  mighty  man  glory  in  his  might,  let  not  the  rich 
man  glory  in  his  riches  :  but  let  him  that  glorieth  glory  in  this,  that 
he  understandeth  and  knoweth  me,  that  I  am  the  Lord  which  exer- 
cise lovingkindness,  judgment,  and  righteousness,  in  the  earth:  for 
for  in  these  things  I  delight,  saith  the  Lord."     Jer.  9:23,  24. 

I  have  seen  thousands  of  people  that  I  probably  will  never  see 
again  until  we  meet  at  the  final  judgment.  When  I  have  been  down 
to  the  Union  Station  at  St.  Louis  it  made  me  think  of  the  time 
when  we  shall  all  sweep  into  Heaven's  Union  Depot. 

My  Ever-Precious  Sister:  I  suppose  you  will  be  home  this  sum- 
mer. There  is  a  graveyard  west  of  the  college.  I  like  to  visit 
graveyards,  but  have  not  been  to  that  one  yet. 

The  beautiful  sun  has  now  gone  down.  The  horizon  is  gray, 
and  farther  up  tinted  with  a  pinkish  hue,  which  all  reminds  us  of 
the  Author  of  it  all.  It  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  evenings  I 
ever  saw.  O,  how  I  should  love  to  take  another  walk  with  you.  I 
saw  a  humming-bird  the  other  day.  My!  they  are  the  cutest 
things.  Well  do  I  remember  when  we  used  to  go  to  meeting  to- 
gether. You  used  to  come  and  go  with  us.  I  have  that  note  yet 
you   wrote   me   about   coming   down   to   eat   goose   eggs   on    Easter. 

That  was  when  we  had  Sunday-school  at  D .    My  mind  is  flooded 

with  thoughts  of  my  childhood.  It  was  clouded  by  one  dark  cloud. 
God  alone  knows  all,  but  He  has  brought  us  through.  I  must  not 
dwell  on  this  scene.     There  is  another  side  to  things. 

Be  true  to  God.  We  live  not  to  please  ourselves.  We  were 
created  to  glorify  God  and  benefit   humanity.     Now  the  very  God 


o 
w 

o 
u 

w 

O 
O 

cC 

m 
W 

a 
o 
w 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    15ERTHA    RASMUSSEN  79 

of  peace  be  and  abide  witb  you  througb  life  and  grant  to  make  youi 
life  a  success,  and  may  you  leave  a  mark  in  the  world  that  shall 
never  be  erased  in  time  or  eternity.  Remember  these  sweet  words, 
"If  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him,"  and  we  shall  bt 
glorified  together.     I  am  saved,  and  on  the  way  to  glory.     Good-by 

Bertha. 

I\Iy  Dearest  :  Do  you  remember  when  we  were  at  that  camp 
meeting?  I  enjoyed  that  meeting  so  much.  I  came  near  losing  m> 
old  hat  on  the  way  home. 

I  was  weighed  to-day,  and  I  weighed  121  pounds;  so  you  see  1 
am  getting  slimmer.  I  went  down  to  the  post-office  only  to  fino 
there  was  no  mail  for  us.     Well,  bless  God,  it  is  all  right. 

"  He's  not  too  high  in  heaven  to  hear 
The  story  of  our  woes  ; 
And  every  sigh  and  every  tear. 
The  blessed  Jesus  knows. 

"  The  cares  that  fret,  however  small, 
His  tender  eye  can  see; 
And  if  he  heeds  the  sparrow's  fall, 
He  will  take  care  of  me. 

"  The  darkest  night  can  never  hide 
Me  from  His  holy  sight : 
And  with  me  will  His  love  abide. 
Through  all  the  hours  of  night." 

'I'liank  God  for  that.     I  am  glad  he  knows  it  all. 

I  have  just  been  reading  of  a  girl,  with  name  same  as  yours,  and 
of  her  heart-rending  history  and  sad  fall.  Oh !  what  a  burst  oi 
anguish  came  over  my  soul  as  I  thought  of  a  pure,  spotless  girl  in 
South  Dakota.  Many  an  innocent  soul  as  pure  and  spotless  as  you 
and  I  have  fallen  victims  to  this  curse  of  curses,  "  Traffic  in  Girls.' 
Oh  God !  My  heart  cries  out,  Send  me.  We  must  remember  it  is 
not  all  of  life  to  live,  nor  yet  all  of  death  to  die.     Let  us  not  be 


So  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

like  Cain.  When  God  asked  liim  where  his  brother  was,  he  pre- 
tended not  to  know.  Let  us  be  our  sisters'  keeper.  Oh,  the  many 
hearts  that  are  aching  to-night.  We  can  only  hope  and  pray  and 
ask  God  what  He  wants  us  to  do,  and  then  do  it. 

Let  us  pray  for  the  coming  election,  that  prohibition  may  win ; 
for  if  there  were  no  saloons,  these  awful  sorrows  would  be  pre- 
vented. People  may  say  it  is  no  use  to  work  for  prohibition  ;  but 
don't  let  the  devil  make  you  believe  that,  for  God  says,  "All  things 
are  possible  to  him  that  believeth  "  (Mark  9:23),  and  He  can  not. 
lie.  He  also  says,  "If  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth  as  touching 
anything  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Are  we  willing  to  stand  on  God's 
promises? 

'i'he  thorns  of  the  road  will  seem  nothing  when  we  get  to  the 
end  of  the  way.     Yes,  indeed!     Bless  God.- 

It  is  getting  late,  and  in  an  hour  from  now  I  will  have  gone  to 
sleep,  safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus.  How  blessed  it  is  to  feel  that.  I 
suppose  you  have  seen  our  prohibition  president.  May  God  grant 
that  right  may  win,  and  that  demon  may  be  swept  away  that  is 
not  only  causing  the  death  of  our  boys  and  fathers,  but  is  also 
damning  the  souls  and  bodies  of  our  sisters  all  over  our  fair  but 
blighted  land.  Let  us  unite  our  prayers  for  it.  H  I  remember,  I 
will  send  you  a  poem,  namely,  "  Stone  Her  —  Let  the  Man  Go  Free." 
It  was  in  our  missionary  paper,  and  I  thought  it  was  so  good.  That 
is  just  the  way  the  world  goes.  May  God  hasten  the  day  when 
we  shall  see  justice  done,  and  not  be  partial  to  any  sex  or  race. 

We  are  expecting  a  good  camp-meeting  and  the  largest  crowds 
that  have  ever  been  here.  It  is  estimated  that  at  one  of  the 
camp-meetings  held  here  that  three  thousand  people  attended  on 
Sunday.  I  am  still  saved  and  sanctified  and  on  my  way  to  heaven 
with  the  glory  in  my  soul.  I  am  not  at  all  tired  of  the  way.  Jesus 
is  my  all  in  all.     I  feel  that  this  is  my  experience, — 

"Anywhere  with  Jesus,  I  can  go  to  sleep, 
When  the  darkening  shadows  round  about  me  creep. 
Knowing  I  shall  waken,  never  more  to  roam, 
Anywhere  with  Jesus,  will  be  Home,  Sweet  Home." 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    nEKTHA    UASMUSSEN  8l 

My   precious   sister,   be   true   to    God.     What   we   do  must   le    done 
quickly,  for  the  night  cometh  when   no  man  can  work. 

God  be  with  you  till  we  meet  again.  IIertua 

Journal.    June  30,  1900.— Oh  hallelujah!     Jesus  saves  nie  from 
all  sin. 

THE  ETERNAL   WILL.     - 

"  To  war  the  armored  nations  march. 

With  echoing  tread  and  thud  of  drums ; 
But  under  heaven's  triumphant  arch, 

A  king  unseen    in  conquest  comes. 
A  thousand  wills  are  crossed  in  war, 

A  thousand  victories  lost  and  won. 
They  alter  not   His  changeless  law, 

'God's  will   is   destined  to   be  done.' 

"  To  that  one  '  will '  creation  turns 

Her  myriad  gaze,  in  wonder  dumb. 
No  flowers  that  blow,  no  sun  that  burns, 

His  secret  tells  in  light  or  bloom. 
But  righteous  law  at  last  shall  prove, 

'  To  Him  was  every  battle  won.' 
Creation's   travail   brought    forth   '  Love.' 

'Cod's  zvill  is  destined  to  be  done.'" 

"  The  lot  is  cast  into  the  lap ;  but  the  whole  disposing  thereof  is 
of  the  Lord."  (Bible.)  "God's  will  is  destined  to  be  done"  How 
very  true  this  is.  "  Be  not  deceived ;  God  is  not  mocked ;  for  what- 
soever a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap."  We  pass  this  way 
but  once.     Let  us  be  up  and  doing.     God  help  us. 

July  id,  1900.— It  is  a  beautiful  day.  Bless  God,  there  will  be 
no  parting  when  Jesus  comes. 

July  22,  1900.— The  prospects  are  as  high  as  the  promises  of 
God.  Hallelujah.  He  saves,  sanctifies,  heals,  and  keeps  me.  "  Lo, 
I  am  with  you  alway  ;  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world." 


82  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

July  29,  1900. — 

"  We    pass   this    way    but   once ! 
The  ripened  harvest  white, 
Has   waited   long 
The  reaper's  song; 
Thrust  in  the  sickle  bright. 

"  We  pass  this  way  but  once ! 
There's  work  divine  for  thee; 

On  every  hand, 

The  needy  stand, 
And  sigh  for  sympathy. 

"  We  pass  this  way  but  once ! 
Wage  well  thy  warfare  now ; 
Beyond  the  strife, 
Bright  crowns  of  life 
Await  the  victor's  brow. 

"  We  pass  this  way  but  once  — 
Where  saints  and  heroes  trod 

Through  toil  and  pain, 

At   last  to  gain 
The  paradise  of  God.     Bless  God." 

Aug.  4,  1900. —  It  is  now  9:45  p.  m.,  and  another  day  has  passed 
and  gone,  never  to  return.  I  moved  Wednesday,  and  have  been 
very  busy  ever  since. 

Charlie  is  getting  well  fast.  Camp-meeting  commences  Thurs- 
day.    I  am  still  on  my  way  to  heaven,  saved  and  sanctified. 

August  5,  1900. —  I  did  not  go  to  church  to-night,  as  I  had  no 
one  to  come  home  with.  I  can  hear  them  singing  over  there.  I 
am  so  glad  that  I  am  a  child  of  the  King  of  kings.  Victory,  eter- 
nal victory,  through  the  Saviour. 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF   liERTHA    KASMUSSEN  83 

August  12,  1900. — 

"  When  we've  been  there  ten  thousand  years, 
Bright  shining  as  the  sun ; 
We've  no  less  days  to  sing  God's  praise, 
Than  when  we  first  begun." 

Hallelujah. 

My  Precious  Alice:  We  can  not  always  be  children,  neither 
can  we  always  be  together,  but  oh,  let  us  make  our  lives  worth 
something.  I  thank  God  we  have  the  privilege  of  writing  to  each 
other.  I  suppose  you  will  be  at  camp-meeting  up  there.  You  will 
miss  me  this  year,  and  I  will  you ;  but  thank  God,  Jesus  will  be  with 
us.  He  is  a  friend,  and  the  only  friend  that  can  go  with  us  down 
to  death's  cold  river  and  cross  it  with  us.  No  earthly  friend,  no 
matter  how  dear,  can  do  that,  though  they  might  want  to.  "  Even 
the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  numbered.  Fear  not  therefore: 
ye  are  of  more  value  than  many  sparrows."  Is  not  that  grand?  It 
is  found  in  Luke  12 :  7. 

This  seems  to  be  quite  a  fruit  country.  I  had  all  the  cherries  I 
could  eat  to-day  where  I  was  visiting.  It  is  very  hilly  from  here 
to  Excello,  which  is  the  nearest  railroad  station. 

I  wish  you  would  copy  that  temperance  piece  for  me  about  the 
doctor  speaking  and  the  minister  and  deacon  saying.  Amen.  You 
and  I  are  temperance  from  the  tops  of  our  heads  to  the  soles  of 
our  feet,  and  we  must  be  working  for  that.  Remember  these  verses 
which  are  so  inspiring,  "  Be  of  good  courage ;  "  "  as  thy  day  is  so 
shall  thy  strength  be ;  "  "I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee." 
Never  alone;  no,  never  alone.  Thou  needst  not  fear.  Jesus  is  a 
friend  that  sticketh  closeth  than  a  brother.  Read  John  3 :  16.  Is  it 
not  blessed  that  He  loved  us  so  much  as  that? 

I  am  now  reading  Moody's  Life.  It  is  very  interesting.  If  you 
get  a  chance,  you  ought  to  read  "  Fifty  Years  in  the  Church  of 
Rome,  or  The  Life  of  Charles  Chiniquy."  I  read  it.  It  is  splendid. 
It  sheds  light  on  popery,  and  is  very  instructive  as  well  as  inter- 
esting. 


84  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

"  But  though  rivers  and  States  divide  us, 
And  you  no  more  I  see, 
Remember  that  one  true  friend 
Will  often  think  of  thee." 

Jesus  is  my  rock  and  my  salvation.  The  Lord  is  my  refuge  and 
strength,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble.  He  has  always  proven 
Himself  to  be  so.  God  bless  3'ou,  Alice;  you  have  been  a  comfort 
and  help  to  me,  and  I  trust  I  have  been  to  you.  Oh,  what  a  won- 
derful deliverer  God  is.  He  is  the  only  one  who  can  help  us  in 
trouble.  What  pain  it  would  give  me  if  you  backslide.  God  can 
use  you,  and  this  world  needs  your  Christian  influence.  Do  your 
duty,  never  fail.  Keep  your  eyes  upon  Jesus.  Search  the  Scriptures. 
I  must  say  giood-by.  As  ever  yours  for  lost  humanity. 

Bertha. 

My  Precious  Sister:  I  have  been  writing  some  letters.  I  don't 
believe  you  realize  how  much  I  love  you.  How  much  greater  is  the 
love  of  Jesus.  Our  love  is  not  to  be  compared  to  it.  God  knows 
how  to  work  His  working.  His  mind  is  not  finite  like  ours,  but 
infinite.  God  is  supplying  all  our  needs,  bless  His  holy  name.  I 
say  God  bless  you  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart.  Keep  up  your 
courage. 

"  The  cross  is  not  greater  than   His  grace, 
The  storms  can  not  hide  His  blessed  face." 

God  is  wonderfully  supplying  our  needs,  and  when  He  thinks 
we  need  a  change  He  gives  us  the  money  to  get  something  new,  or 
puts  it  in  the  heart  of  some  of  His  children  to  give  it  to  us. 

"  Then  rally,  rally,  rally  round  the  cross, 
No  one  there  shall  ever  suffer  loss." 

But  in  the  name  of  Jesus  we  will  conquer  every  foe.  Last  Sun- 
day I  heard  a  young  preacher  preach.  I  wrote  most  of  it  down. 
The  Lord  helped  him  so  much.  God's  will  is  destined  to  be  done. 
?Iow  verv  true  this  is.     Let  us  be  careful  to  have  His  will  our  will. 


OK   THE    LIFE    OF    UERTllA    RASMUSSEN  85 

It  is  a  beautiful  morning,  so  cool  and  nice.  It  is  about  5:30.  I 
have  lots  of  writing  to  do  this  morning.  I  have  all  my  own,  which 
is  a  good  deal  now-a-days,  and  business  letters  and  a  good  deal  of 
mother's. 

The  anniversary  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  has  now 
passed.  It  hardly  seems  possible  that  time  has  tlown  so  fast;  but 
the  sun  never  stops  for  any  one.  It  stood  still  once,  but  God  bade 
it  be  still. 

God  had  His  purpose  in  not  permitting  me  to  come  to  see  you 
this  summer.  There  was  surely  some  reason.  When  you  are  having 
a  hard  time,  just  think  of  this  verse, — 

"  The  thorns  in  our  path  are  not  sharper 
Than  composed  His  crown  for  me. 
The  cup  that  I  drink,  not  more  bitter, 
Than  He  drank  in  Gethsemane." 

I  would  not  mind  taking  supper  with  you.  I  can  only  say  God 
knows  best  where  we  should  be,  and  when  He  sees  lit  to  have 
me  share  your  company,  He  will  open  up  the  way  for  me.  "  The 
Lord  is  my  shepherd,  I  shall  not  want."  There  will  be  no  more 
parting,  sighing,  crying,  trouble,  sickness,  or  anything  of  that  kind 
when  Jesus  comes.  Don't  j'ou  think  we  ought  to  hold  ourselves  in 
readiness,  and  hail  His  coming',  which  will  mean  so  much  to  saints 
and  sinners?  as  that  will  be  the  time  they  receive  their  rewards, 
whether  they  be  good  or  evil.  Let  us  ask  ourselves  this  question 
quite  often,  "Am  I  ready?" 

I  remain  as  ever  your  loving  sister. 

To  Mv  De.\r  Sister,  for   Her  joth    Birthd.w,  June  22,   1900: 

Just  twenty  years  ago  a  child  was  born  into  the  world  so  dark. 
Just  twenty  centuries  ago  a  child  was  born  into  this  world,  but  hark! 
Into    better   circumstances   you    say. 

Nay  !     Verily,  I  saj^, 
No   better   circumstances. 

The  one  was  born  to  grief  and  sorrow,  lit  up  at  times  by  some  light 
ray; 


86  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

But  list,  the  other  was  born  to  fill  a  different  purpose: 

He  died  that  men  might  live. 

The  blessed  Christ,  whose  cry  was  heard  far  o'er  Judea's  plains, 

He  has  gone  to  reign  in  heaven  above,  and  intercedes  for  me 

Where  men  know  no  more  pain. 

And  while  the  other's  left  behind. 

Remember  what   He  said  : 

"  1  come  again,  and  in  my  glory  I  sit  down  and  crown  the  faithful 

For  my  own  with  an  immortal  crown ; 

And  if  you  to  your  trust  be  true, 

I'll  claim  you   for  mine  own. 

Then,  in  a  brighter  world  than  this, 

Thou'lt  forget  ail  the  past 

In  all  the  wondrous  mysteries  of  pleasure  that  shall  last." 

This  poem  does  not  rhyme  very  well,  but  it  has  good  sentiment, 
and  you  must  take  the  will  for  the  deed.  Whenever  you  are  lone- 
some, just  think  about  your  Elder  Brother  ii.  heaven,  and  it  will 
help  you.  God  bless  you  for  your  great  kindness  to  us.  Be  sure 
you  are  in  the  order  of  the  Lord.  I  would  like  to  send  you  a  birth- 
day present.  If  I  can  I  will  subscribe  for  the  Searchlight  for  you. 
I  will  send  you  a  white  temperance  bow.  Jesus  saves  and  sanctifies 
me  just  now.  Your  sister,  Bertha. 

I  could  not  do  justice  to  this  dear  girl  and  her  devoted 
life  by  the  short  sketch  that  I  am  trying  to  get  before  the 
readers  of  this  volume.  She  has  much  writing  that  will 
never  go  before  the  public,  much  laboring  and  praying  with 
souls  that  will  only  be  found  in  the  books  of  God.  I  want 
to  say  that  at  this  period,  during  the  month  of  ]u\y,  1900, 
we  went  through  deep  waters,  and  this  dear  girl  worked 
hard ;  but  her  face  was  always  bright  and  her  heart  full  of 
praise  to  God.  Her  talk  and  writing  to  others  was  always 
full  of  encouragement  to  them,  and  not  a  word  about 
her  burdens,  which  she  told  alone  to  God.     She  was  living 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  87 

for  the  good  of  others.  If  the  young  students  were  not 
getting  along  well,  and  were  in  any  way  discouraged,  she 
Viould  take  them  home  with  her,  and  would  talk  and  pray 
with  them,  and  they  would  go  away  cheered  up.  Her  great 
love  for  souls,  and  her  gentle  way  of  dealing  with  them, 
won  its  way  with  everybody.  Although  every  one  would 
not  be  helped,  she  had  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all 
with  whom  she  had  to  do.  Letters  from  those  to  whom 
she  had  been  a  help  have  come  to  me  saying  her  place  could 
never  be  filled. 

July,  1900. 

j\Iy  Dear  Sister  and  Brother  :  I  went  over  to  Sister  's  this 

forenoon,  and  I  am  going  to  iron  for  ]\Irs.  S this  afternoon.     I 

have  ironed  for  her  several  times  before. 

Bless  God,  it  does  not  seem  to  me  I  ever  was  so  glad  that  I  am 
saved  as  I  am  now.  God  supplies  all  our  needs  according  to  His 
riches  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord,  and  keeps  us  sweetly 
saved  all  the  way.  Jesus  is  the  fairest  of  ten  thousand  to  my  soul, 
and  the  one  altogether  lovely. 

Well,  bless  God,  don't  be  discouraged.  The  prospect  is  as  bright 
as  the  promises  of  God.  Do  you  believe  it?  It  is  true.  I  am  sorry 
crops  are  in  such  poor  condition  ;  but  be  encouraged,  God  will  take 
care  of  you  if  you  do  His  will.  Hear  what  He  says  :  "  For  the  very 
hairs  of  your  head  are  numbered.  Fear  not  therefore,  ye  are  of  more 
value  than  many  sparrows."  Take  all  your  financial  troubles  to 
God,  who  has  said,  "  Casting  all  your  care  upon  him,  for  he  careth 
for  you."  You  remember  you  have  our  sincere  prayers.  Every 
night  before  I  lay  down  my  head  to  rest,  I  get  on  my  knees  and 
pray  to  God  for  you  and  many  others ;  but  best  of  all,  Jesus  never 
forgets  us.  He  has  said,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto 
the  end  of  the  world,"  and  He  is  interceding  for  us  at  the  right 
hand  of  God.  He  has  been  interceding  for  us  for  two  thousand 
years.  Just  think  of  it.  When  He  was  in  the  Garden  of  Geth- 
semane  and  on  the  cross  He  bore  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  If 
we  would  just  think  more  of  how  much  Jesus  had  done  and  given 


88  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

up  for  us,  it  would  make  the  cross  easier  to  bear.  We  are  coutinu- 
ally  praying  God  to  l^less  you.  Keep  looking  to  Him..  He  will  carry 
you  througli  if  you  have  your  trust  in   llim. 

I  am  sorry  we  could  not  send  you  a  letter  Monday,  but  we  had 
no  money  to  send  it  with.  I  am  going  to  deliver  some  pictures  to- 
day that  I  have  enlarged,  and  we  will  send  this  letter  in  the  morn- 
ing. I  almost  finished  one  yesterday,  when  I  got  tired  ;  I  thought  I 
would  quit  and  rest  awhile.  They  are  both  pictures  of  one  woman, 
taken  the  day  she  was  married,  and  she  died  less  than  a  year  ago. 

Well,   camp-meeting   is   almost   here.      I    expect   we   will   have   a 

very  good  meeting.     C S ,  nominee  for  State  Governor,  will 

perhaps  be  here,  and  all  the  great  holiness  preachers ;  and  bless 
God,  He  will  be  here,  and  I  tell  you  that  is  enough  to  shake  this 
old  town.  It  has  been  standing  here  ever  since  the  Civil  War,  and 
perhaps  a  good  while  before.  They  put  up  their  tents  in  the  college 
yard  and  have  the  meetings  in  the  chapel. 

.  I  took  those  pictures  home,  and  they  liked  them  so  well.  O 
glory  to  God,  He  so  wonderfully  helped  me  with  them.  Truly 
there  is  not  a  friend  like  the  lowly  Jesus. 

Now  be  sure  and  vote  the  Prohibition  ticket.  I  can  hear  some 
birds  twittering,  and  oh !  it  is  such  a  pretty  morning.  What  a 
beautiful  world  this  would  lie  if  it  were  not  cursed  by  sin;  but 
bless  God,  we  can  go  to  heaven  where  there  is  no  sin,  if  we  are 
true  and  faithful.  I  hope  this  will  find  you  well  and  happy.  I  am 
your  true  sister  to  help  lift  up  the  fallen  and  fight  the  devil  until  I 
die.    I  am  on  my  way  to  heaven  with  glory  in  my  soul. 

Bertha. 

A  letter  to  another  friend  :  — 

My    De.\r   C :    "Acquaint   now   thyself   with    him,   and   be   at 

peace :  thereby  good  shall  come  unto  thee.  Thou  shalt  also  decree 
a  thing,  and  it  shall  be  established  ifnto  thee:  and  the  light  shall 
shine  upon  thy  ways."  Job  22:21,  28.  Can  you  claim  that  promise? 
God's  promises  can  never  fail.  I  can  assure  you  that  I  will  pray 
God  to  direct  and  lead  you  concerning  your  marriage.  Re  careful 
that  it  is  not  some  of  the  devil's  traps  to  hinder  you.  Tt  may  not 
be;  but  keep  looking  to  God,  and  ask  His  guidance.     If  you  take 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    DEKTllA    RASMUSSEN  89 

Jlim  for  your  guide,  and  do  as  He  tells  you  to,  you  will  never  make 
a  mistake. 

•We  got  your  letter  to-night,  and  was  glad  to  get  it.  I  don't  think 
you  or  1  will  c\er  forget  the  blessed  times  we  have  had  in  St.  Louis. 
But  it  was  not  all  sunshine.  Many  times  we  could  not  see  our  way 
through,  but  bless  God,  He  brought  us  oflf  more  than  conquerors. 

"Life  with  trials  hard  may  press  me; 
'Twill  but  drive  me  to  Thy  breast. 

"  The  cross  that  He  gave  may  be  heavy, 
But  it  ne'er  outweighs  His  grace ; 
The  storm  that  I  feared  may  surround  me, 
But  it  ne'er  excludes  His  face. 

^'  The  thorns  in  my  path  are  not  sharper 
Than  composed  His  crown   for  me, 
The  cup  that  I  drink  not  more  bitter 
Than  He  drank  in  Gethsemaue. 

"  Churns : 

"  The  cross  is  not  greater  than   His  grace. 
The  storm  can  not  hide  His  blessed  face; 

I  am  satisfied  to  know. 

That,  with  Jesus  here  below, 
I  can  conquer  ev'ry  foe  with  His  grace." 

Thank  God  for  that.  I  am  sorry  your  sister  Rosa  is  so  sickly. 
I  will  remember  you  in  my  prayers.  Hold  on  to  God.  He  will  de- 
liver if  we  "  have  faith  in  God."  The  Lord  never  has  failed  us,  and 
we  have  no  reason  to  believe  He  ever  will.  "  God  is  our  refuge  and 
strength,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble."  I  am  glad  that  "present" 
is  in  there,  for  if  He  could  not  help  us  now  it  would  not  do  us  much 
good. 

"  When  you  feel  weakest,  dangers  surround, 
Subtle  temptations,  troubles  abound; 


90  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

Nothing  seems  hopeful,  nothing  seems  glad, 
All  is  despairing,  oftentimes  sad. 

"  If  all  were  easy,  if  all  were  bright, 
Where  would  the  cross  be,  where  would  the  fight? 
But  in  the  hardness  God  gives  to  you 
Chances  of  proving  that  you  are  true. 

"  God  is  your  wisdom ;  God  is  your  might ; 
God  ever  near  you,  guiding  you  right. 
He  understands  you ;  knows  all  your  need ; 
Trusting   in    Him,    you'll    surely   succeed. 

"Let  us  press  on,  then;   never  despair: 
Live  above   feeling;   victory's  there. 
Jesus  can  keep  us  so  near  to  Him 
That  never  more  our  faith  shall  grow  dim. 

"  Chorus: 

"  Keep  on  believing,  Jesus  is  near, 
Keep  on  believing,  there's  nothing  to  fear. 
Keep  on  believing,  this  is  the  way. 
Faith  is  the  night  as  well  as  the  day." 

Bless  God  that  is  true. 

Later. —  Thursday  I  went  out  into  the  country  and  staid  until 
P"riday  morning,  as  my  friend  had  people  there  making  hay.  It  is  a 
nice  country  out  there.  It  is  again  a  beautiful  evening,  and  the 
darkness  of  night  is  about  to  cover  this  part  of  the  earth.  But 
bless  God,  it  is  always  light  when  He  is  with  us.  Oh,  the  joy  and 
comfort  there  is  in  salvation !  I  would  not  exchange  the  salvation 
of  Jesus  Christ  for  tens  of  thousands  of  worlds  like  this.  What 
would  I  have  done  had  I  not  had  our  Saviour  and  His  promises  to 
fall  back  upon?  They  say,  "A  friend  in  need  is  a  friend  indeed," 
and  that  is  ju.st  what  Jesus  is.  How  comforting  His  words,  "  Lo, 
I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."     O  C , 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    CERTHA    RASMUSSEN  91 

be  true  to  God,  and  don't  let  the  devil  tie  you  down.  Be  sure  you 
are  right,  then  go  ahead.  When  we  were  thinking  of  coming  here, 
and  were  praying  for  light  and  guidance,  I  claimed  this  promise, 
"And  the  light  shall  shine  upon  thy  way ;  "  and  when  He  says  shall, 
He  means  it.  Hold  still,  and  let  Him  have  a  chance  to  let  the  light 
shine.  Do  not  be  in  too  big  a  hurry.  Give  God  a  chance  to  make 
known  His  will  is  all  I  can  say  about  it.  We  are  always  glad  to 
hear  from  you,  so  don't  forget  to  write.  God  be  with  you.  I  am 
still  on  my  way  to  heaven  with  glory  in  my  soul.  Bertha. 

My  Precious  Sister:  Another  day  has  been  added  to  those  that 
are  in  the  past,  and  we  are  one  day  nearer  our  reward.  It  is  now 
8:5s  p.  M.  I  will  try  to  tell  you  what  I  have  been  doing  since  last 
time  I  wrote,  which  was  Wednesday  morning.  Wednesday,  I 
moved ;    Thursday,    I    straightened    up ;    Friday,    I    ironed   for   Mrs. 

S from    eight   o'clock    until    five ;    of   course   I   had   an   hour   at 

noon ;  to-day,  I  ironed  for  ourselves.  The  Lord  is'  wonderfully 
keeping  up  my  health  and  strength.  He  is  so  good  to  me.  I  am 
still   saved  and   sanctified. 

(A  few  days  later.)  I  am  not  seeking  a  house  on  this  earth, 
but  a  mansion  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens,  where 
moth  and  rust  do  not  corrupt  nor  thieves  break  through  and  steal, 
reserved  in  heaven  for  me  if  I  am  true  and  faithful.  I  have  been 
down  to  Sister  's  to-day,  ironing. 

Camp-meeting  starts  to-morrow  night.  They  will  put  up  the 
tents  to-day.  I  have  a  picture  of  a  little  girl  that  I  want  to  finish 
before  the  meeting.  I  am  still  on  my  way  to  glory,  and  expect  to 
arrive  there  in  due  time,  as  my  ticket  is  on  the  Celestial  Railroad. 

If  you  want  to  read  one  of  God's  big  promises,  and  want  to  have 
success,  you  will  find  the  key  to  a  good  part  of  it  in  Isa.  58:  13,  14. 
That  is  a  key  to  lots,  and  if  persons  are  not  afraid  to  risk  God's 
words,  which  have  stood  six  thousand  years,  they  can  try  it  and 
see.  I  believe  it  would  work  well.  Those  promises  are  just  as  good 
to-day  as  when  written.  Bertha. 

My  Dear  Brother  and  Sister:  I  will  have  to  write  to  you  to- 
day, as  I  will  not  have  much  time  for  writing  Monday.     I   under- 


92  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

stand  Brother  W.  B.  Godbey  will  have  a  Bible  reading  this  after- 
noon on  "  Hell,"  and  I  can  not  afford  to  miss  it,  so  I  will  write  as  I 
get  a  chance  and  go  to  church.  As  quite  a  number  of  preachers 
were  on  the  ground  Wednesday  night,  they  had  a  meeting.  Brother 
Johnson  preached.  He  also  preached  Thursday  night.  Yesterday 
morning  Dr.  Godbey  preached,  and  had  a  Bible  reading  in  the 
afternoon.  Less  than  a  year  ago  he  came  back  from  Palestine  and 
over  where  Jesus  traveled.  He  has  been  in  Egypt,  Rome,  and  Lon- 
don, and  I  guess  almost  all  over.  It  is  interesting  to  hear  him  talk. 
He  said  that  while  at  Rome  he  was  in  the  great  amphitheater  built 
by  or  for  the  emperors,  and  it  was  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet  high. 
There  was  room  in  it  for  one  hundred  thousand  spectators,  and 
it  was  one  thousand  eight  hundred  feet  in  circumference.  He  said 
a  voice  could  be  heard  anywhere  in  that  immense  amphitheater. 
He  also  said  it  would  seem  wonderful  how  the  children  of  Israel 
coud  hear  each  other  the  day  that  God  commanded  six  of  the  tribes 
of  Israel  to  stand  on  Mt.  Gerizim  (you  will  find  it  in  Deuteronomy), 
and  pronounce  the  blessings  that  would  come  to  them  if  they  obeyed 
Him,  and  the  other  six  tribes  stood  on  Alt.  Ebal,  and  He  pronounced 
the  curses  that  would  follow  if  they  did  not  obey.  He  said  it 
would  seem  wonderful  how  the  people  could  hear  them,  as  the  two 
mountains  are  ten  miles  apart,  and  the  people  were  told  to  say 
"Amen."  He  said  it  was  a  natural  amphitheater,  and  the  voice 
could  be  heard  anywhere  in  that  valley.     It  is  wonderful,  is  it  not? 

You  remember  how  Nero  commanded  Paul  to  be  beheaded,  or 
all  the  Christians,  I  don't  know  which  ;  but  anyway,  Paul  was  be- 
headed, ajid  it  is  said  ( Brother  Godbey  said  we  might  take  it  for 
what  it  was  worth)  that  when  his  head  was  cut  off,  it  bounded 
three  times,  and  each  place  where  it  touched  the  earth  those  three 
times  a  spring  sprung  up.  W.  B.  Godbey  said  he  drank  out  of  each 
of  them.  He  also  went  to  Mount  Vesuvius  with  some  others,  and 
they  wound  up  the  mountain  until  they  had  to  stop  ;  and  then  they 
came  to  the  awful  crater,  which  is  about  two  hundred  feet  in 
diameter  and  about  300  feet  deep ;  and  while  they  were  standing  by 
the  mouth  of  that  awful  crater,  the  earth  just  trembled,  and  every 
once  in  a  while  the  fiery  lake  of  lava  would  throw  up  some,  and 
the  smoke  and  ashes  would  cover  their  garments.     As  they  looked 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF   BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  93 

down  into  the  crater  they  could  smell  the  brimstone  and  see  the 
flames,  and  it  looked  just  like  the  mouth  of  hell.  lie  wished  every 
unconverted  person  could  just  get  a  look  into  that  crater.  He  said 
they  were  in  danger  all  th.e  time  they  .stood  there.  He  once  went 
up  a  pyramid  in  PLgypt,  which  covered  thirteen  acres,  and  was  550 
feet  high,  and  three  Arabs  had  to  help  him  up.  He  has  written  a 
book,  "  h'ootprints  of  Jesus."  It  must  be  interesting,  if  it  tells  all 
he  saw  in  his  travels. 

I  am  still  saved  and  sanctified.  Yes,  this  is  a  world  of  parting, 
but  1  intend  to  go  and  spend  an  eternity  in  a  world  where  partings 
are  unknown  and  the  word  "  farewell  "   is  never  spoken. 

Your  sister  for  temperance,  and  to  lift  up  the  fallen, 

Berth.x. 

Dear  P)R0Ther:  How  would  you  like  to  meet  the  Judge  of  all 
the  earth  the  next  minute  after  you  had  cast  your  vote  for  a  license 
party.  May  God  help  us  to  answer  the  question,  or  we  will  sec  it 
in  the  judgment.  You  talk  about  throwing  away  your  vote  like 
shooting  up  in  the  air  when  we  want  to  hit  ducks  in  the  i)ond. 
Well,  if  it  was  shooting  up  in  the  air  as  j'ou  say,  I  would  sooner  do 
that  than  to  hit  a  man  that  favored  liquor  license.  Do  you  not 
know  what  the  president  showed  himself  to  be  by  taking  the  side 
he  took  on  the  canteen  question?  O  God  keep  the  Christians  at 
breast  from  upholding  a  man  who  will  close  his  ears  to  the  plead- 
ings of  so  many  broken-hearted  wives,  mothers,  and  sisters.  You 
might  rather  not  vote  than  to  vote  to  help  the  devil.  It  seems  like 
the  majority  of  professed  Christians  say  as  you  do,  "  Oh,  it  is  no 
use  trying;  we  can  not  do  it,"  when  the  God  of  the  universe  says, 
"  Is  there  anything  impossible  with  God  ?  "  I  say,  No.  What  do 
you  say?  Every  time  you  vote  for  a  license  party,  you  put  in  a 
liid  for  your  wife  to  be  a  mourning,  sorrowful  widow,  and  your 
children  to  till  drunkard's  graves.  O  God,  speed  the  time  when 
all  will  vote  as  they  pray.  In  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son 
of  God,  who  died  for  you  and  me  and  all  mankind,  I  beg  of  you 
that  if  you  will  not  vote  out  and  out  for  prohibition  that  you  will 
not  vote  at  all.  We  pass  this  way  but  once.  Remember  we  can 
never  recall   yesterday's   work.     I   am   yours   in   the  battle   for   God, 


94  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

temperance,  and  right.  I  expect  to  fight  till  I  die.  You  are  going  to 
fight  with  me  for  God,  are  you  not  ?    Yes,  of  course.  Bertha. 

My  Dear  Sister  C :  I  received  your  good  letter  a  few  days 

ago,  but  had  no  opportunity  of  writing  until  now.  I  am  still  pray- 
ing for  you.  God  will  answer  prayer.  I  am  glad  Rosa  is  getting 
along  so  well.     God  bless  you  and  keep  you  firm,  is  my  prayer. 

Camp-meeting  is  going  on.  Thank  God  for  victory  through  the 
blood  of  Jesus.  I  am  so  glad  you  are  getting  the  burden  of  a  lost 
world  on  you.  Oh,  that  \ve  all  would  get  under  the  burden  for 
the  lost  and  perishing  ones.  We  are  nearing  the  end  of  time.  Soon 
the  angel  will  blow  the  trumpet,  and  announce  in  a  voice  like  thunder 
that  "  time  is  no  longer  to  be." 

"  Then,  oh  !  what  a  weeping  and  wailing 

When    the   lost   ones   are  told   of  their   fate. 
They'll  cry  for  the  rocks  and  the  mountains; 
They'll  pray,  but  their  prayers  are  too  late." 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  most  awful  word  man  could  imagine 
will  be  when  we  are  weighed  in  the  balance,  God's  word  in  one 
scale  and  we  in  the  other,  and  it  is  said,  "  Weighed  in  the  bal- 
ance, and  found  wanting."  What  would  the  pleasures  of  the  world 
be  to  us  then.  All  prophecies  tend  to  the  coming  of  Christ  shortlj'. 
Nearly  all  the  prophecies  have  been  fulfilled,  if  not  all. 

Last  night  we  had  such  a  good  rain,  and  it  seems  to  have  cooled 
off  the  weather,  which  has  been  very  warm. 

We  are  expecting  victory  in  this  camp-meeting.  Several  have 
been  healed,  and  some  sanctified. 

We  received  word  a  few  days  ago  that  Sister  Smythe  has  gone 
to  glory.  Thank  God,  I  believe  she  was  ready.  She  was  always  very 
kind  to  me.  I  am  glad  she  is  now  free  from  all  pain.  Hallelujah, 
we  are  coming  after.  We  had  a  blessed  meeting  last  night.  Many 
were  at  the  altar,  and  one  boy  especially  got  gloriously  saved.  Oh, 
it  was  blessed.     It  was  ii  :oo  p.  m.  when  I  got  home  from  church. 

Bless  God,  take  courage. 

Your  true  friend,  saved  and  sanctified. 

Bertha. 


BI5SSIE,  BEJRTHA'S,  SISTER, 


OR    THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  97 

Dear  Sister:  Camp-nioetinL;  lias  now  closed.  Many  of  us  will 
probably  never  meet  again  nntii  we  meet  at  tlie  judgment  liar  of  God. 
The  meeting  was  a  wonderful  success,  and  the  Lord  has  shown 
His  power.  Surely  He  was  here.  I  am  so  glad  I  am  saved,  and 
that  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanses  me  from  all  sin,  and  that  1 
am  ready  to  meet  God.  Let  us  be  true  to  God ;  and  when  trials  and 
temptations  may  oppress  our  pilgrim  way,  let  us  remember  that  the 
thorns  in  our  way  are  not  sharper  than  composed  His  crown  foi 
us,  and  that  with  Jesus  here  below  we  can  conquer  every  foe.  It  is 
such  a  comfort  to  know  that  God  is  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  ver\ 
present  help  in  trouble.  "  He  will  never  leave  us  nor  forsake  us.' 
With  such  a  promise  as  this  can  we  not  dare  to  be  true  ?  I  have 
complete  victory  in  my  soul,  and  I  am  going"  through  in  spite  of  all 
men,  or  devils  in  hell. 

School  begins  in  a  week  from  Monday.     God  be  with  you. 
Yours  for  the  forsaken  and  cast  down, 

Berth.'V. 

■  My  Dear  Sister  :  The  most  blessed  camp-meeting  that  I  have 
ever  attended  has  now  drawn  to  a  close,  and  oh,  how  lonesome  it  is 
going  to  be  when  all  the  tents  and  every  one  has  gone.  VV.  1>.  God- 
bey  is  a  blessed  man.  He  had  to  go  to  another  camp-meeting  Fri- 
day, but  God  stayed  with  us,  and  we  had  a  blessed  time.  Saturday 
was  temperance  day.  We  had  a  splendid  temperance  meeting.  Yes 
terday  was  a  good  day.  They  say  this  is  the  best  camp-meeting 
they  have  had,  and  I  believe  it.  It  is  voted  back  here  again  next 
year.  Quite  a  number  of  people  have  fallen  under  the  power  of 
God  during  this  meeting.  One  fell  yesterday.  I  have  thought  of 
you  many  times  during  the  meeting. 

I  hope  this  will  find  you  well  and  happy.  I  am  going  to  heaven 
Meet  me  there.    God  be  with  you  till  we  meet  again.         Bertha. 

My  Dear  C :  We  received  your  letter,  and  was  glad  to  get  it 

Thank  God  for  victory.  I  was  very  glad  to  get  your  picture,  and 
when  I  get  mine  taken,  I  will  remember  you.  I  am  so  glad  to  know 
you  are  keeping  victory  and  do  not  get  discouraged.     I  thank  God 


08  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

there  is  notning  uiscouraging  about  this  battle,  l)ut  rather  encour 
aging;  but  yet  the  devil  would  try  to  make  us  think  there  was.  I 
am  so  glad  we  can  have  victory  through  the  Saviour  all  the  waj 
through.  I  am  so  thankful  that  you  are  willing  to  let  God  havf 
His  way.  That  is  the  only  kind  of  people  God  can  do  anything 
with.  If  we  are  determined  and  clamoring  to  have  our  own  way 
God  can  not  do  anything  with  us,  but  if  we  are  willing  to  do  God's 
will,  it  will  not  be  long  until  we  find  out  what  His  will  is.  Jesus  i« 
a  friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother,  and  He  can  fill  ever} 
vacant  place  in  your  heart. 

I  am  so  glad  your  mother  is  getting  better.  They  had  united 
prayer  for  her  here  in  the  sisters'  meeting,  and  truly  the  "  fervent, 
effectual  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  availeth  much."  God  will  heai 
His  children  when  they  cry  to  Him.  I  think  these  are  some  of  the 
sweetest  words  of  Jesus  when  He  said,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  Be  encouraged.  I  am  saved  and 
sanctified,  and  going  to  heaven. 

I  here  send  you  a  temperance  bow.  You  can  do  as  you  pleas* 
about   wearing   it.      I   wear   one.  Bertha. 

Dear  Friend:  Ah.  listen!  Every  twenty-four  hours  America's 
homes  are  robbed  of  one  hundred  more  girls  to  sustain  social  evil 
and  si.\  hundred  boys  ruined  for  every  one  hundred  girls.  Oh,  can 
you  afford  to  help  on  this  infernal  trade?  When  you  go  to  the 
ballot-box,  think  of  your  wife  and  your  sisters,  and  think  you  are 
helping  down  some  other  boy's  sister  and  some  other  girl's  brother, 
if  you  cast  your  vote  for  a  license  party.  Can  you  afford  to  do  it; 
What  does  God  say  about  it?  "  Woe  unto  him  that  giveth  hif 
neighbor  drink,  that  puttest  thy  bottle  to  him."  Please  read  Hab 
2:15-18.  The  saloon-keeper  could  not  sell,  if  he  did  not  have  a 
license;  and  they  could  not  get  it,  if  they  did  not  get  it  from  the 
license  party;  and  the  license  party  could  not  exist,  if  people  did 
not  vote  for  it. 

How  awful  it  was  for  you  to  be  prepared  to  kill  any  one.  Flee 
to  Jesus,  and  get  that  Icill  spirit  taken  out  before  it  is  too  late  tc 
save  you  from  a  murderer's  hell ;  for  we  know  that  no  murdcrei 
hath  any  part   in   eternal   life,   unless   they   repent.     I   suppose  you 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  99 

think  I  am  severe,  but  it  is  because  I  love  your  soul  that  I  say  it. 
If  I  did  not  love  you,  what  would  I  care  where  you  landed?  I 
hope  you  will  take  this  friendly  advice,  and  profit  by  it. 

Yours  to  fight  for  temperance,  against  the  whisky  devil,  and  to 
help  lift  the  fallen  until  I  exchange  the  cross  for  the  crown. 

Bertha. 

From  her  journal :  — 

Amount  spent  each  year  :  — 

Christian  missions   $    5,500,000 

Ministers'  salaries    12,000,000 

Publications    96,000,000 

Sugar  and  molasses 155,000,000 

Boots   and  shoes 197,000,000 

Meat 303,000,000 

Clothing    459,000,000 

Bread     505,000,000 

Tobacco    600,000,000 

Intoxicating  liquors   940,000,000 

$455,000,000  more  for  tobacco  than  for  bread. 

$637,000,000  more  for  liquor  than  for  meat. 

$297,000,000  more  for  tobacco  than  for  meat. 

$1,200,000,000  for  drink,  $20,000,000  every  week. 

Some  people  say  there  is  no  use  voting  the  Prohibition  ticket  — 
that  your  vote  will  be  lost.  Your  vote  will  count  in  heaven,  if  cast 
right ;  and  it  will  count  in  hell,  if  you  vote  wrong.  Every  year  sixty 
thousand  boys  ruined,  and  others  have  to  take  their  places. 

Sept.  4,  1900. —  We  had  a  wonderful  night  last  night.  Glory  and 
honor  and  majesty  be  to  the  Laml)  that  was  slain  to  save  fallen  hu- 
manity. What  I  wanted  to  say  last  night  was  this,  that  God  so 
wonderfully  helped  us  through.  We  were  almost  running  out  of 
money  again,  and  we  did  not  know  where  it  was  coming  from ; 
but  God  knew,  and  He  sent  us  some.     Truly, — 


lOO  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

"  'Tis  so  sweet  to  trust  in  Jesus ; 
Just  to  take  Him  at  His  word; 
Just  to  rest  upon  His  promise; 

Just  to  know  '  Thus  saitli  the  Lord.' " 

I  intend  to  go  through  in  spite  of  men  or  devils. 

My  Precious  Sister  Alice  :  It  has  been  raining  this  afternoon, 
and  so  it  is  quite  cool.  I  expect  to-morrow  will  be  your  last  Sun- 
day at  Sunnyside,  and  it  has  evidently  not  been  God's  will  for  us  to 
spend  it  together,  l)ut   I  can  say,  "  Blessed  is  the  will  of  the  Lord." 

I  am  the  child  of  a  King.  The  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords, 
and  a  God  that  never  lost  a  battle,  is  fighting  my  battles  for  me? 
Hallelujah!  There  is  a  motto  hanging  above  the  table  where  I  am 
writing  that  has  on  it,  "  He  givcth  more  grace."  How  very  true 
that  it.  I  was  more  lonesome  yesterday,  I  believe,  than  I  have  been 
for  many  a  day,  but  I  have  gotten  almost  over  it. 

We  washed  to-day,  and  just  got  our  clothes  out  a  little  while 
before  it  started  to  rain.  It  is  still  cloudy,  although  it  has  stopped 
raining. 

When  camp-meeting  closed,  I  was  not  as  lonesome  as  I  thought  I 
would  be.  ^  Keep  up  a  brave  heart,  dear  girl.  "  God  be  with  you 
till  we  meet  again."  God  willing,  we  'shall  meet  again  to  spend 
some  more  happy  hours  together.  I  am  so  glad  that  God  with- 
holds no  good  thing  from  those  who  walk  uprightly.  I  have  not  the 
slightest  coubt  but  that  if  God  had  seen  it  was  for  my  good  to  go 
up  there  this  summer,  He  would  have  opened  the  way.  I  am  not 
murmuring  nor  complaining  at  all,  for  I  want  God's  will  to  be 
done;  yet  my  mind  will  wander  back  to  old  Sunnyside,  and  the  road 
which  we  traveled  so  much  together.  Nearly  every  Sunday  we 
would  traverse  the  same  old  road,  and  in  the  cool  of  the  evening 
when  the  golden  sun  was  setting,  and  our  minds  from  care  were 
free,  we  so  often  would  take  a  walk  together,  very  often  across  the 
field  which  separated  us.  Yes,  we  can  hardly  help  thinking  of  it; 
but  though  rivers  and  States  divide  us,  there  is  a  tie  that  binds  our 
hearts  in  Christian  love,  and  our  hearts  need  not  be  separated.  I 
hope  this  letter  will  not  _make  you  sad  on  account  of  references 
made  to   the   old   time.     You    remember   the   last    look   we   had   of 


OR   THE    LIFE   OE    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  lOI 

Sunnyside  together  —  one  Thursday,  when  the  iron  horse  pulled  out 
of  town,  and  took  me  along,  and  1  have  never  seen  you  since. 

This  town  is  very  quiet,  and  that  is  what  I  like.  I  truly  thank 
God  for  a  quiet  place  to  go  to  school  and  a  good  school  to  attend. 
I  can  remember  when  we  used  to  play  we  were  going  off  to  school 
and  the  like.     We  little  knew  that  that  would  be  a  reality  so  soon. 

Life  is  reality. 
Life  is  no  dream. 

We  had  a  very  good  camp-meeting.  I  think  it  was  estimated 
that  about  one  hundred  got  saved. 

H was  over  to  see  me.    I  think  she  is  the  nicest  girl  here.    She 

reminds  me  so  much  of  you.     She  holds  her  lingers  so  much   like 

you  when  she  plays  the  organ.     About  six  o'clock  H ,   M , 

and  myself  went  to  the  graveyard.  It  was  the  first  time  I  was  ever 
in  it.  It  is  back  of  the  college.  Two  of  the  tombstones  especially 
impressed  me.  One  of  them  had  a  gate  on  it.  The  gate  was  ajar, 
meaning,  I  suppose,  the  heavenly  gate.  The  other  one  had  some 
pretty  buildings  on  it  with  these  words,  "  In  my  Father's  house 
are  many  mansions."  Both  of  them  made  me  think  of  my  heavenly 
Father's  mansions  He  has  prepared  for  us  if  we  are  faithful.  Have 
you  been  sick?  I  am  sorry.  I  did  not  know  it.  God  bless  you,  and 
make  you  strong  again,  is  my  prayer.  You  must  take  care  of  your 
health,  and  I  beg  of  you  as  a  sister  interested  in  your  welfare,  to 
quit  wearing  corsets,  and  even  corset  waists.  Please  do  not  throw 
your  health  away.  A  waist  such  as  I  wear  is  enough  to  keep  you 
in  shape.  God  never  made  His  work  for  man  to  mend;  and  al- 
though we  should  not  go  around  looking  slovenly  nor  distasteful  on 
account  of  not  having  our  clothes  neat,  we  should  not  destroy  the 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  which  temple  ye  are,  as  the  Bible 
affirms. 

I  am  saved,  sanctified,  and  going  to  heaven  in  spite  nf  the  devil. 
I  hope  this  will  find  you  getting  strong.  As  you  study  real  hard, 
you  need  exercise.    God  bless  you  and  give  you  what  you  need. 

Then  be   it   thorns  or  flowers,   dear   friend,  ■ 
Thou  wilt  thereby  be  blessed  indeed. 

Bertha. 


I02  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

Here  is  part  of  a  letter  written  to  Bertha  by  the  autlior 
of  "  Methods  and  Results  of  Rescue  Work  "  :  — 

]\Iy  Dear  Little  Sister:  I  can  not  find  words  to  express  tlie 
comfort  and  source  of  strength  your  precious  letter  has  been  to  me. 
J\Iy  heart  is  cheered  as  now  and  then  I  catch  the  sound  of  fresh 
young  voices,  full  of  consecrated  missionary  zeal,  assuring  me  that 
as  we  who  are  made  by  physicial  weakness  to  retire  from  the  field, 
they  are  coming  on  with  Victory  written  on  their  banners  to  fill 
their  places  leagues  ahead  of  where  we  quit.  All  through  your  most 
interesting  letter  I  felt  the  real  missionary  spirit.  I  firmly  believe 
God  had  His  brand  on  you  for  this  special  work,  and  I  am  praying 
that  you  may  continue  to  grow  in  grace  and  knowledge  of  the 
truth.  'Jhe  world  needs  earnest,  honest,  clean,  pure-hearted  men 
and  women  to  demonstrate  that  there  is -power  in  the  blood  to 
keep  us  unspotted  from  the  world,  to  preserve  us  blameless,  and 
present  us  faultless  to  the  Father.  I'd  prize  a  photograph  of  your 
dear  face  very  much.  I  am  lovingly  yours, 

Add.\  J\I.  Flatbush. 

Mv   Precious   Sister  Alice:   Truly, — 

"  God  works  in  a  mysterious  way. 
His  wonders  to-  perform. 
He  plants  His  footsteps  on  the  sea. 
And  rides  upon  the  storm." 

It  is  a  lovely  morning.  It  is  so  still  and  calm.  A  holy  stillness 
seems  to  rest  on  this  part  of  the  globe,  but  pretty  soon  people  will 
be  up  and  hustling  about  their  work.  I  suppose  this  will  mean 
another  year  of  separation;  but  bless  God,  we  will  meet  pretty  soon 
anyhow. 

This  verse  you  sent  me  is  surely  true :  — 

"There  is  room  for  my  name  in  your  memory. 
There  is  room,  my  love,  in  your  heart. 
There  is  room  for  us  both  in  heaven 
Where   the  blood-washed    never  part." 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  103 

Tell  me  all  about  jour  trip,  aud  how  you  are  getting  along  in 
your  soul.     God  be  with  you  till  wc  meet  again. 

I  think  I  shall  take  the  following  studies, —  arithmetic,  etymology, 
elocution,  grammar,  spelling,   vocal  music,  and  Bible  study. 

I  can  see  as  distinctly  as  if  it  were  before  my  eyes,  the  old  school- 
house  at  Sunnyside,  and  where  we  used  to  sit  by  the  window  on 
the  north  side  looking  out  over  the  golden  grain  growing  in  your 
field.  When  my  mind  wanders  back  there  it  runs  back  to  the  pleas- 
ant days  instead  of  the  sad  ones,  although  some  of  the  saddest  days 
of  my  life  have  been  spent  there.  Just  a  month  and  you  will  be 
sixteen.  How  time  does  fly.  1  will  not  be  with  you  on  your  birth- 
day; but  thank  God,  He  will  be  there. 

Later. —  School  is  now  out,  and  it  is  a  beautiful  evening.  The 
golden  sun  will  soon  be  set,  and  we  know  not  whether  we  shall  ever 
see  it  rise  again  ;  but  thank  God,  I  know  I  am  ready  for  heaven  if 
this  were  my  last  night  on  earth. 

The  college  looks  very  nice  from  here.  It  is  only  about  a  hun- 
dred feet  from  here.  The  birds  are  twittering.  What  a  beautiful 
world  were  it  not  cursed  by  sin.  I  will  say  that  the  prospects  are 
as  bright  as  the  promises  of  God.  I  have  heard  it  said  that  this  life 
would  not  be  worth  the  living  were  it  not  for  the  trials  and  dis- 
appointments in  it.  We  need  them  to  keep  us  humble  and  close  to 
Christ.  Keep  true  to  God.  Jesus  says,  "  Hold  the  fort,  for  I  am 
coming."  Hallelujah,  He  is  coming,  and  will  bring  His  reward 
with  Him.  Will  we  the  crowning  share?  By  God's  grace  I  will. 
We  have  everything  to  encourage  us.  I  am  learning  as  never  before 
what  it  means  to  trust  God.  O  how  He  does  supply  our  needs,  and 
never  leaves  us  when  we  are  in  trouble.     It  is  wonderful ! 

I  can  say  that  God  pardons  all  my  sins,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  His  Son  cleanseth  me  from  all  sin,  and  the  very  God  of 
peace  sanctifies  me  wholly.  Help  me  pray  for  temperance  and  dis- 
tressed sisters.     Your  true  sister,   for  God,  home,   and  native   land, 

Bertha. 

My  Preciou.s  Sister  and  Brother:  I  am  saved  and  sanctified.  I 
beg  of  you,  with  all  my  heart,  to  please  vote  for  prohibition.  You 
will  have  to  answer  for  it.     I  wish  God  to  bless  you,  from  the  bot- 


I04  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

toni  of  my  heart.  Let  God  have  His  way  with  you.  I  am  your  true 
sister  to  work  for  temperance,  to  hft  up  the  fallen,  and  be  true  to 
Jesus  until  I  shall  have  laid  down  the  cross  to  receive  a  crown, 
and  I  go  walking  up  the  golden  street. 

We  have  a  girl  sixteen  years  old.  She  ran  away  from  home.  Her 
father  is  a  drunkard,  and  abused  her  terribly.  Her  mother  has  been 
dead  six  years.  We  felt  that  we  ought  to  take  her.  She  came  here, 
and  was  converted  at  the  camp-meeting.  I  saw  her  a  few  days  after, 
and  she  felt  so  discouraged  that  I  took  her  home  with  me,  and 
talked  and  prayed  with  her.  We  felt  we  ought  to  take  her  here  to 
save  her  from  the  devil.  She  had  an  awful  will,  but  God  has  done 
wonderful  things  for  her  since  she  came.  She  is  saved  and  sancti- 
fied, and  says  God  has  called  her  to  work  for  Him.  The' other  day 
she  came  in  where  I  was,  laughing,  she  was  so  blest.  She  said  God 
told  her  to  burn  her  corsets  and  beauty  pins,  and  they  were  in 
the  stove  burning  now.  She  knew  that  her  corset  was  hurting  her, 
and  she  wanted  to  glorify  God  in  all  things.  O  praise  the  l.ord, 
we  do  have  some  wonderful  blessings  and  victories  together.  The 
other  night  we  had  almost  a  Pentecost ;  and  as  I  was  singing 
"  Walking  Up  the  Golden  Street,"  she  kept  getting  happier  and 
happier.     I  was  pretty  happy  myself. 

Now,  dear  brother,  please  do  not  vote  for  the  devil.  Every 
Christian  is  a  Prohibitionist.  I  am  going  to  pray,  pray,  pray  for 
temperance,  and  fight  the  devil  as  long  as  I  live.     God  be  with  you. 

Bertha. 

My  Dear  Brother  and  Sister  :  I  am  so  glad  to  hear  that  you 
are  a  Prohibitionist  from  top  to  bottom,  and  that  you  are  going  to 
vote  for  God  and  right.     God  bless  you. 

You  know  there  are  coal  mines  not  far  from  here,  and  that 
mining  is  quite  dangerous.  Once  in  a  while  some  get  hurt  or  killed. 
A  man,  who  had  a  wife  and  four  children,  went  to  work  this  morn- 
ing for  the  last  time.  He  was  brought  back  a  corpse.  At  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  a  stone  fell  on  him  and  smashed  him,  and 
ended  his  existence  in  this  world.  They  live  just  a  little  way  from 
here.  I  heard  that  he  had  once  been  a  Christian,  and  had  told  some 
one  that  he  intended  to  get  saved  again.     Truly  they  that  are  often 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  105 

reproved,  and  Itarden  their  necks,  shall  suddenly  conic  to  destruc- 
tion, and  that  without  remedy.  God  can  not  lie,  and  He  has  just 
fuhilled  His  words  when  He  says,  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  He 
may  be  found."  That  suggests  there  is  a  time  when  He  is  not 
found.  If  this  man  waited  for  death-bed  repentance,  he  never  got  it. 
I  understand  he  only  lived  a  few  minutes.  Oh,  how  heart-rending  it 
was  to  hear  the  screams  of  his  poor  wife  and  children.  I  hope  it 
will  be  the  means  of  leading  them  to  the  Lamb  of  God  who  taketh 
away  the  sins  of  the  world.  Conviction  was  depicted  on  many  a 
brow.     I  know  that  sudden  death  with  me  would  be  sudden  glory. 

"  There  is  a  time,  we  know  not  when, 
A  point,  we  know  not  where, 
That  marks  the  destiny  of  men. 
To  glory  or  despair. 

"  There  is  a  line,  by  us  unseen, 
That  crosses  every  path ; 
The  hidden  boundary  between 
God's  patience  and  His  wrath. 

"  O  where  is  this  mysterious  bourne, 
By  which  our  path  is  crossed. 
Beyond  which  God  Himself  hath  sworn 
That  he  who  goes  is  '  Lost '  ? 

(Lost!     Forever  lost!     Lost  through  the  ceaseless  ages  of  eter- 
nity!    Lost!     Lost!) 

"  How  far  may  we  go  on  in  sin  ? 
How  long  will  God  forbear? 
Where  does  hope  end?  and  where  begin 
The  confines  of  despair  ? 

"  An  answer  from  the  skies  is  sent : 
'  Ye  that  from  God  depart ! 
While  it  is  called  to-day,  repent, 
And  harden  not  your  heart.' " 

Your  loving  sister,  Bertha. 


Io6  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

JdiKNAL,  Sei'T.  17,  1900. —  Last  Sabbath  I  helped  smiic  with  the 
meeting.     I  read  Exodus  14.     I  beheve  God  blessed  what  I  said  to 

sunie  one.     1  am  sure  it  did  me  good  ;  as  I   told  ,  there  was  a 

good  atmosphere  up  around  the  pulpit.  I  can  say  I  am  saved  and 
sanctified  just  now,  and  ready  for  heaven.     Amen. 

Sei'T.  18,  1900. —  Another  school-day  has  passed  into  eternity.  I 
am   still  on  foot   for  glory,  saved  and  sanctified. 

.Sei'T.  22,  1900. —  .Another  school-week  has  passed  and  gone.  I 
think  it  was  the  most  profitable  of  my  life  so  far.  First,  God  has, 
helped  me  so  wonderfully  with  my  lessons  all  the  week.  He  has 
!iel])ed  me  to  get  and  remember.  Second,  God  wonderfully  helped 
me  Sunday  morning  and  gave  me  liberty.     Third,  God  wonderfully 

hel])ed   me   and  gave  me  a  chance  to  speak  to   Mrs.   S (whose 

husband  was  killed  a  short  time  ago)  about  salvation.  She  was 
standing  in  the  door  as  I  was  coming  along  the  street,  and  oh  I 
she  had  such  a  sad  face.  Woe,  sorrow,  and  anguish  were  surely 
depicted  there.  I  spoke  kindly  to  her,  and  told  her  I  sympathized 
with  her;  Init  Jesus,  who  alone  knows  all,  is  the  only  one  that  can 
comfort  us.  I  asked  her  if  she  knew  she  was  saved.  She  said, 
"  No,  I'ertha,  I  do  not,  but  I  want  to  be."  I  went  with,  her  into 
the  house,  and  knelt  down  beside  her.  She  was  greatly  moved  u])on. 
and  the  oldest  rirl,  who  was  kneeling  by  me,  cried  as  if  her  heart 

would  break.     1   asked   Mrs.  S if  she  would  get  saved,  and  she 

said  she  would  try.  I  told  her  I  would  pray  for  her,  and  on  coming 
home  we  went  on  our  knees,  and  besought  God  for  help  and  salva- 
tion for  that  poor  soul,  and  we  felt  th.at  God  heard  our  prayers. 

1  felt  last  Wednesday  night  like  I  ought  to  lead  chapel  service 
Thursday  morning.  I  told  the  Lord  if  lie  wanted  me  to  do  so,  He 
could  make  the  Professor  ask  me  ;  and  sure  enough,  after  we  got  to 
the  chapel,  he  handed  me  a  Bible,  and  told  me  to  read.  Thanks  be 
to  God  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through   our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

He  also  helped  me  to  help out.     She  felt  she  ought  to  pray,  but 

the  devil  was  so  hard  on  her  that  she  could  not.  So  this  week  has 
been  one  of  victory.  I  am  saved,  sanctified,  and  intend  to  be  true. 
God  also  helped  me  to  write  my  testimony  for  the  "  Good  Way." 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  107 

Later. —  Honor,  glory,  and  majesty  to  the  Lamb  that  was  slain 
forever  and  ever.  Well,  we  started  in  school  work  again  Monday 
morning  with  new  vigor  and  determination  to  go  through  for 
God. 

We  were  out  to  B the  other  night,  and  had  prayer-meeting 

with  the  children.  We  had  been  there  several  times  before. 
There  is  a  wonderful  opening  here  in  College  Mound  for  young 
workers.  I  would  encourage  all  to  come  who  possibly  can.  Pray 
God  to  get  the  hindrances  out  of  the  way.  He  can  do  it.  The  devil 
will  probably  try  to  keep  many  away  who  should  be  here. 

She  wrote  the  following  about  a  trip  to  Macon  City :  — 

AHSSION   WORK. 

Haliclujah  to  our  God,  who  givcth  us  the  victory  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

1    will   now   tell   of  our  missionary  trip   to   ]\Lncon   City.      Sister 

L ,    Sister   A ,    Brother   W ,   and   I    started   from    College 

Mound  about  ten  o'clock,  and  although  the  road  was  very  muddy, 

we  got  there  in  good  time.     While   Brother  W was  caring  for' 

the  team,  the  rest  of  us,  after  inquiring  the  way  to  the  jail,  went 
and  made  an  appointment  for  the  next  day.  When  we  were  in- 
formed that  a  num])er  of  the  prisoners  were  to  l)e  taken  to  the 
penitentiary  on  the  following  Monday,  we  then  understood  why 
we  were  so  strongly  impressed  to  come,  notwithstanding  the  many 
seeming  hindrances   in  our  way. 

We   then    rejoined    Brother   W at    Brother   B 's,   and   at 

about  seven  o'clock,  after  a  season  of  prayer  to  God  for  help,  we 
started  on   our  mission  to  the  saloons.     Our  first  visit  was  to   the 

one  in   which  a  man  was   killed  just  recently.     Sister  L asked 

permission  of  the  baf-tender,  who  said  that  he  had  no  objection  to 
our  holding  services,  provided  the  policemen  did  not  interfere.  So 
we    went    ahead,    sang    some    appropriate    songs,    and    had    prayer; 

after  which   we  each   spoke   alternately.      Brother   W told  them 

of  his   wonderful   deliverance   from  the   liciuor   habit.      Sister   L 

gave  an  appropriate  talk.     Then  Sister  A talked   to  them  about 

the  efifect  of  alcohol  on  the  human  system.     After  we  had  sung  "  In 


Io8  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

an  Army  Barrack,"  and  a  few  other  selections,  I  felt  impressed  to 
say  a  few  words.  In  my  remarks  I  incidentally  referred  to  the  man 
being  killed,  very  unconscious  of  the  fact  that  the  bar-tender  —  a 
fine-looking  young  man  —  was  the  murderer,  and  at  that  time  bad 
a  pistol  lying  on  the  shelf  behind  him.  We  then  sang,  "  Don't  sell 
him  another  drink,  please,"  after  which  the  bar-tender  seemed  very 
uneasy.  After  we  had  been  there  a1)Out  an  hour,  we  went  to  an- 
other saloon,  and  were  followed  by  a  greater  part  of  the  boys  who 
were  in  the  first  saloon. 

The  next  saloon  we  entered  was  quite  full.     Sister  L again 

asked  permission  to  hold  services,  which  was  granted.  We  began 
singing,  and  God  wonderfully  anointed  us,  and  our  singing  had 
its  effect.  Very  few  drank  while  we  were  there,  except'  a  few  old 
men,  who  evidently  did  it  to  throw  off  conviction.  In  this  saloon 
one  old  man, —  a  Catholic, —  who  evidently  was  nearly  drunk,  be- 
came  so   enraged   that   he   acted   like   he   intended   to   fight    Brother 

W ;  but  the  others  quieted  him,  and  before  we  left,  he  took  up 

a  collection  for  us,  which  was  accepted  only  because  we  knew  if  we 
did  not,  it  would  most  probably  be  spent  for  liquor.     One  man  said 

to  Brother  W ,  "  Here  is  the  last  dime  I  have  on  earth ;  I'll  give 

it  to  you  instead  of  spending  it  for  drink.  I  intend  never  to  touch 
another  glass."  Brother  W said,  "  You  will  never  go  into  an- 
other saloon  ?  "  "  No,  I  never  will,"  he  answered,  and  he  seemed 
very  nnich  troul)led.  After  spending  about  an  hour  there  we  re- 
turned to  Brother  B 's,  where  we  staid  overnight.     We  awoke 

the  next  morning  to  behold  a  most  beautiful  day,  from  which  we 
received  a  new  inspiration,  feeling  that  God  had  given  it  to  us  that 
we   might  better  glorify   Him. 

The   devil    tried   to   hinder    Sister    A 's    usefulness,    but    God 

wonderfully  came  to  our  rescue  by  relieving  her  of  the  affection 
of  the  lungs  which  rendered  it  difficult  for  her  to  sing,  or  even 
to   breathe;   so  we  went  on  our   way   rejoicing. 

At  ten   in   the   morning  we   went   to   the   jail,    accompanied   by 

Brother    and    Sister    B ,    taking    some    papers    to    give    to    the 

prisoners.  The  deputy-sheriff  opened  the  great  heavy  door  that,  as 
it  were,  barred  out  all  liberty  and  sunshine  from  the  lives  in  which 
the  Sun  of  Righteousness  had  not  risen.     This  was  our  first  visit  to 


OR   THli    LIFE    OF    RERTHA    RASMUSSEN  109 

a  place  like  tliis.  As  we  entered,  we  said,  "  Good  morning,  boys," 
to  which  a  number  of  them  responded.  We  then  sang,  "  There's 
not  a  friend  Hke  the  lowly  Jesus,"  and  after  Scripture  reading  and 

a  touching  exhortation  by  Brother  W ,  we  had  an  altar  service. 

Four  came  to  the  altar,  and  the  others  seemed  deeply  affected. 
Two   or    three   of   those    who    came    to    the    altar    claimed    pardon. 

Brother  W was  truly  anointed  of  God,  and  he  walked  in  among 

the    prisoners    as    fearlessly    as    if    they    had    never    committed    a 

crime.      Brother    B broke    down,    and    wept ;    he    said    he    had 

rather  be  there  than  in  the  finest  church  in  the  city.  He  gave  them 
some  fatherly  advice.  In  Miss  A 's  talk  she  referred  to  card- 
playing,  portraying  the  evils  it  led  to,  and  asked  if  any  one  objected 
to  her  burning  a  deck  of  cards  wdiich  we  had  noticed  lying  in  the 
window.  One  man  exclaimed,  "  Yes,  burn  them,"  with  such  earnest- 
ness that  they  all  seemed  willing  except  one  man,  who  objected.  The 
cards  w^ere  not  burned,  but  I  am  sure  that  what  she  said  did  good. 
We  then  sang  appropriate  songs,  such  as,  "  Your  mother  still  prays 
for  you,  Jack,"  "  Search  for  my  wayward  wandering  boy,"  etc. 
After  singing  "  God  be  with  you  till,  we  meet  again,"  we  shook 
hands  with  them,  and  bade  them  good-by,  never  to  meet  again,  in 
all  probability,  until  we  meet  at  the  judgment,  where  we  shall  have 
to  give  an  account  of  how  we  have  lived,  and  how  we  have  im- 
proved our  opportunities  for  doing  good.  We  are  sure  our  meet- 
ing did  good ;  how  much,  we  will  never  know  until  the  books  are 
opened.  Berth.\. 

JouRN.\L,  September,  1900. —  I  received  word  Saturday  that  I 
had  a  baby  niece.  God  bless  her,  and  make  her  a  soul-wiiuier,  is  my 
prayer. 

Dear  Sister,  Brother,  and  Precious  Niece:  Yesterday  was  just 
a  beautiful  day,  seemed  so  much  like  spring.  I  have  a  picture  to 
make  to-day.  I  have  done  a  little  on  it,  but  not  much.  I  got  tired, 
and  quit.  When  a  person  gets  tired  working  on  a  picture,  she 
ought  by  all  means  to  quit,  if  she  don't  want  to  spoil  the  picture. 

Praise  Jesus,  He  is  pleading  our  case,  and  God  says  He  will 
avenge  his  own  elect  that  cry   unto    llim   night  and  day.     Yes,   He 


no  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

will  avenge  thee  speedily,  and  I  believe  it,  for  we  have  a  friend 
that  it  always  closest  when  we  need  him  the  most.  God  bless  you 
I  am  saved,  sanctified,  and  on  my  way  to  heaven  with  the  glory 
in  my  soul.  I  am  for  temperance,  education,  and  the  building  up 
of  God's  kingdom  in   the  earth. 

Thank  God,  my  brother,  that  you  are  a  Prohibitionist,  and  that 
you  arc  not  voting  for  a  party  that  would  just  as  soon  put  that 
precious  girl  of  yours  in  a  brothel  as  not.  I  hope  you  will  be 
good  parents  to  her.  God  bless  her,  and  may  she  help  me  in  ni} 
work  for  temperance  and  right.  You  will  have  to  move  down  her( 
now,  sure,  to  give  your  girl  an  education  in  a  holiness  school.  Just 
think!  A  precious  life  has  been  entrusted  to  your  care.  You  need 
sanctification  now  more  than  you  ever  did  before,  to'  raise  thai 
child  for  heaven.  I  will  send  her  a  temperance  bow.  Have  you! 
picture  taken  with  her  as  soon  as  you  can,  and  be  sure  to  hav( 
the  temperance  bow  on  her.  Now  please  dress  her  for  God.  You 
are  in  a  very  responsible  place.  May  God  give  you  wisdom  tc 
train  her  for  a  life  of  usefulness. 

My  studies  are  pressing.     I  must  close,  and  go  to  my  lessons. 

"  God  be  with  you  till  we  meet  again, 

By  His  counsels  guide,  uphold  you, 

With  His  sheep  securely  fold  you; 

God  be  with  you  till  we  meet  again." 

Your  loving  sister.  Bertha. 

I  have  just  been  out  to  pray,  and  got  blessed.  I  have  glorious 
news  to  tell.     Victory  !     I  am  going  through  with  Jesus. 

Yours  to  be  true  till  I  die,  Berth.\. 

]\Iy  Dear  Sister  and  Brother:  I  just  came  home  from  Brothei 

's.     We  went  out   there  before   dark  to   have  a  prayer-meeting 

with  the  girls.  We  held  our  meeting  rather  long.  It  got  dark  and 
began  to  rain,  and  we  had  quite  a  time  getting  home.  Glad  yor 
are  getting  along  so  well.  1  would  be  glad  if  baby  had  all  your  per 
fections  and  none  of  your  imperfections.  She  is  going  to  be  God'; 
woman  to  work  for  Him,  and  probably  help  me  in  my  work. 


be;rtha's  mother. 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  II3 

God  has  wonderfully  looked  out  tor  us,  and  He  will  continue  to 
do  so.  Be  true  to  God.  1  like  College  Mound  very  nnich  because 
of  the  school.  It  would  not  be  much  of  a  place  were  it  not  for  the 
college. 

Later. —  It  is  just  a  beautiful  day.  It  makes  me  lonely  for  the 
days  my  sister  and  I  spent  together,  and  when  she  was  in  St. 
Louis,  and  we  took  our  trip  to  Shaw's  Garden  ;  but  we  do  not  livt 
to  please  ourselves.  There  will  be  a  grand  reunion  some  day. 
Hallelujah  !  If  we  are  faithful,  we  will  have  the  privilege  of  going 
to  a  place  where  there  is  no  more  parting  and  the  word  "  farewell '" 
is  never  spoken.  I  have  had  some  blessed  times  here,  and  I  get 
lonesome  only  once  in  a  while.  I  suppose  you  remember  when  we 
all  went  to  Union  Market,  and  all  the  bananas  we  had.  I  am  not 
thinking  so  much  about  the  bananas  as  of  the  rest.  I  remembei 
the  last -time  we  walked  down  Jefferson  Avenue  together,  and  we 
took  you  to  the  depot  the  last  time.  O  how  I  prayed  that  night 
after  we  got  home.  We  went  into  the  meeting,  and  after  it  was 
out  Charles  was  sitting  on  the  steps  that  go  up-stairs.  He  said  it 
seemed  pretty  hard  to  part  with  you. 

Your  loving  sister,  saved  and  sanctified.  Bertha. 

My  Precious  Sister  Alice:  Oh,  it  is  such  a  beautiful  morning 
I  have  just  been  having  a  good  time  praying,  and  got  blest.  Halle 
lujah!  I  am  going  through  with  Jesus,  and  be  true  till  I  die.  God 
bless  you.  It  seems  I  can  read  the  very  nobleness  of  your  char- 
acter as  I  gaze  into  the  depths  of  those  blue  eyes  of  yours ;  but 
remember,  all  the  nobleness  of  us  is  all  of  grace,  and  nothing  we 
can  boast  of,  and  it  will  only  continue  to  be  true  nobleness  as  long 
as  you  use  it  in  God's  service  and  for  Him. 

I  have  lots  of  studies,  and  it  keeps  me  pretty  busy.  I  have  no 
time  to  waste,  but  the  time  I  write  I   do  not  call  wasted. 

God's  richest  blessing  go  with  you  through  life,  and  keep  you 
safe  from  harm  is  my  prayer. 

]\Iay   He,  who  clothes  the  lilies, 

And  heeds  the  sparrow's  fall. 
Guide  and  protect  you,  Alice, 

And  keep  you  safe  from  all. 


114  -^    VOUXG    .MISSIOXARV 

1  am  going  to  be  true  to  God  till  I  lay  down  the  cross  to  wear 
ll:C  crown,  and  this  mortality  takes  on  immortality.  Re  true  to  God 
in  everything.     It  pays.  Bertha. 

My  Dear  Sister  Alice:  It  is  a  beautiful  day  after  school,  and 
it  reminds  me  so  much  of  the  many  evenings  wc  walked  liome 
from  the  Sunnyside  school. 

Do  be  true  to  God.  If  we  are  faithful,  we  will  go  to  a  place 
where  partings  are  not  known  and  farewells  never  spoken.  Won't 
that  be  blessed?  I  feel  as  Frances  Willard  said,  "Life  is  a  frail 
canoe  on  the  boisterous  sea  of  life —  but  God  will  carry  us  through;" 
Although  I  miss  you  very  much,  yet  1  would  not  be  in_  any  other 
place  than  where  I  am,  because  1  know  God  wants  me  here,  and  He 
truly  fills  every  longing  of  my  heart.  Hallelujah.  The  trials  of  the 
road  will  seem  nothing  when  we  get  to  the- end  of  the  way.  When- 
ever I  get  lonesome,  it  draws  me  nearer  to  that  blessed  Lamb  who 
will  take  all  the  faithful  to  a  land  where  parting  is  not  known,  and 
it   draws   my  thoughts    heavenward. 

I  am  getting  along  very  well  with  my  studies.  God  wonderfully 
helps  me.  To-night  is  prayer-meeting  night,  so  I  must  close  and 
study. 

God  be  with  you  till  we  meet  again.  Your  own  loving  sister,  to 
be  true  till  I  shall  leave  this  world,  and  go  to  my  Father,  to  go  no 
more  out  forever.  Hallelujah!     I  have  the  'genuine  religion. 

Bertha. 

October,  igoo. 
My  Precious  Sister:  To-day  has  been  a  very  busy  one  to  me. 
but  I  feel  that  God  has  been  with  me,  and  to-night  I  am  resting  safe 
in  the  arms  of  Jesus.  Many  things  have  happened  since  we  parted 
God  has  been  with  me  and  directed  me.  Bless  God,  it  is  all  right 
Anywhere  with  Jesus  I  can  safely  go.  When  I  was  in  St.  Louis 
in  the  missionary  home,  I  remember  so  often  when  I  would  lay 
down  on  my  cot  by  the  south  window,  looking  out  on  Randolph- 
Street,  that  I  would  sing  — 

"  Anywhere  with  Jesus  I  can  go  to  sleep. 
When  the  darkening  shadows  round  about  me  creep, 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  II5 

Knowing  I  shall  waken  never  more  to  roam, 
Anywhere  with  Jesus  will  be  Home,  Sweet  Home." 

And  I  felt  it  all  through  me.  I  would  be  so  happy.  I  had  no 
home,  and  owned  nothing  in  this  world;  but  thanks  be  to  God,  I 
was  an  heir  to  a  mansion,  a  robe,  and  a  crown.  I  had  a  heavenly 
Father  who  owned  all  the  money  in  the  universe  and  the  cattle  on 
a  thousand  hills,  and  I  was  serving  under  a  General  who  never  lost 
a  battle,  and  He  would  not  lose  mine.  Jesus  is  pleading  my  case. 
It  is  wonderful  how  contented  the  Lord  helps  me  to  be.  He  has 
been  so  good  to  me.  When  I  feel  burdened  and  go  to  God  in 
prayer,  I  feel  such  a  sweet  peace  in  my  soul;  and  I  know  that 
while  we  may  be  misunderstood  and  misjudged  in  this  world  at 
times,  yet  I  feel  so  restful,  knowing  that  a  just  court  is  soon  going 
to  set  in  heaven  and  justice  given.  Sometimes  we  can  not  under- 
stand w^hy  it  is  that  we  have  to  go  t.hrough  certain  trials  here,  but 
sometime  we  will  know.     Bless  God,  this  expresses  it  all :  — 

"  When  the  last  feeble  step  has  been  taken, 

And  the  gates  of  that  city  appear. 
And  the   beautiful    songs   of   the   angels 

Float  out  on  my  listening  ear ; 
When  all  that  nozv  seems  so  mysterious 

Shall  be  bright  and  as  clear  as  the  day. 
Then  the  toil  of  the  road  will  seem  nothing. 

When  we  get  to  the  end  of  the  way.'" 

That  is  true.  Do  be  true.  Sometime  we  will  understand,  if  we  do 
not  now.  God  knows  our  future,  we  do  not;  therefore  it  is  best  to 
follow  Him.  I  am  saved,  sanctified,  and  ready  to  meet  God,  thanks 
be  to  Him.    Amen.  Good-by,  Bertha. 

DzAR  Sister  Alice:  It  is  again  almost  night,  and  I  have  some 
studying  to  do,  and  prayer-meeting,  too,  to-night.  Some  people  fool 
away  their  time — "killing  time,"  as  they  say;  but  I  tell  you  we 
pass  this  way  but  once,  and  we  have  no  time  to  fool  away. 

I  suppose  you  are  a  Prohibitionist  from  head  to  foot.  Jesus 
was.     It  is  a  beautiful  evening;  just  like  we  used  to  spend  together. 


Il6  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

Well,  bless  God,  it  is  all  right.  If  it  is  God's  will  we  shall  meet 
again  in  His  own  time.  Yes,  I  will  pray  for  you.  It  pays  every 
time  to  be  true  to  God.  When  He  said,  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee,"  He  meant  it,  and  it  is  true.  I  know  God  can  deliver  at  all 
times.  Have  faith  in  God.  "As  thy  day  is,  so  shall  thy  strength  be." 
I  have  Still  got  full  and  free  salvation  from  all  sin,  and  the  blood  of 
Jes'us  cleanses  me  from  all  sin,  and  the  very  God  of  peace  sanctifies 
me  wholly. 

Later. —  I  am  very  busy  this  morning.  It  is  beautiful,  but  quite 
cold.  Last  nigh.t  we  had  such  a  good  prayer-meeting  at  the  chapel. 
This  college  is  undenominational.  It  is  a  holiness  college.  It  is 
run  according  to  its  name,  too.  I  nnist  now  go  to  my'  lessons,  I 
can  not  neglect  them.  God  bless,  shield,  and  protect  you  and  be 
with  you.  I  am  always  glad  to  hear  from  you.  You  still  have  a 
place  in  my  affection.     I  am  saved  and  sanctified. 

Your  loving  sister.  Bertha. 

My  Dear  Brother  and  Sister:  Hallelujah  to  our  God,  who 
giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Honor,  glory, 
and  majesty  to  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  forever  and  ever.     We  were 

out   to    Brother   • 's,    and    had   prayer-meeting   with    the   children 

the  other  night  again. 

I  am  saved,  sanctified,  and  have  a  conscious  knowledge  that  I 
am  ready  to  meet  God.  Never  allow  yourselves  to  go  to  bed  unless 
you  know  without  a  doubt  that  you  are  ready  to  meet  God  at  any 
moment.  Thank  God,  I  belong  to  Him.  The  toil  of  the  road  will 
seem  nothing  when  we  get  to  the  end  of  the  way.  He  loves  us  too 
well  to  forsake  us,  or  give  us  a  trial  too  much.  All  his  people  have 
been  dearly  purchased. 

We  have  prayer-meeting  every  Friday  afternoon  in  the  Pro- 
fessor's room,  for  the  students.  We  have  such  good  meetings. 
The  Lord  is  wonderfully  helping  me  with  my  studies.  We  go  to 
school  at  8:30  A.  M.,  and  come  home  at  noon;  back  at  1:00  p.  m., 
and  home  again  at  4:30  p.  m.  We  have  chapel  service  in  the 
morning  until  9:00  a.  m.  Then  we  recite  every  half  hour  in  the 
day  except  two,  making  one  hour  that  we  do  not  recite.     We  have 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  117 

Bible  study  that  one  hour,  so  you  see  we  have  not  much  time  to 
prepare  lessons  in  school.     We  do  nearly  all  our  studying  outside. 

I  got  a  quotation  from  Charles.  It  reads  like  this,  "  There  are 
two  sides  to  a  person's  reputation,  the  true  and  the  false.  The 
only  thing  that  causes  us  to  feel  embarrassed  for  a  moment  is  when 
\ue  are  introduced  to  a  person,  and  he  says,  '  Yes,  I  have  heard  of 
you.'     The  first  thought  that  arises  is.  Which  side  have  you  heard?" 

Well,  hallelujah!  I  have  the  genuine  religion.  It  is  the  only 
kind  worth  having.  We  do  not  forget  to  pray  for  you.  Do  not 
get  discouraged.  I  never  forget  you,  even  if  you  do  get  a  short 
letter  sometimes.  Remember  they  carry  as  much  love  as  a  com- 
mon letter  ever  carried.  God  bless  you.  This  morning  I  felt  quite 
burdened  for  you,  and  it  has  not  all  left  me  yet.  You  are  depriving 
yourselves  of  the  highest  joy  when  you  have  not  this  full  salvation. 
AH  I  can  do  is  to  pray,  and  1  intend  to  pray  more  than  I  have  been 
doing.  It  is  said  that  John  Knox  prayed  Queen  IMary  off  the 
throne  of  England,  and  I  am  going  to  endeavor  to  pray  something 
down.  It  pays  to  serve  Jesus.  I  speak  from  the  heart.  O  that  I 
xould  show  you  your  awful  danger,  but  I  do  not  expect  I  can.  It 
takes  God  to  do  that.  I  am  on  the  go-through  line,  and  am  pray- 
ing for  you,  and  Jesus  is,  too. 

Your  sister,  to  be  true  to  God  till  He  says,  "  It  is  enough,  come 
up  higher."  Bertha. 

My  Dear  Brother:  As  I  said  before,  I  have  not  forgotten  to 
pray  for  you,  but  it  seems  to  me  that  you  persist  in  having  your 
own  way,  and  not  submitting  to  God.  You  know  what  His  require- 
ments are.  I  am  not  alluding  to  any  special  work,  but  God  has 
called  you  to  holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord. 
If  this  moment  you  were  to  be  ushered  into  the  immediate  presence 
of  a  just  God,  who  has  said,  "Be  ye  holy:  even  as  I  the  Lord  your 
God  am  holy,"  what  excuse  would  you  give  for  not  having  the 
preparation  He  requires?  You  know  too  well  that  you  could  not 
gi\e  Plim  excuses  as  you  give  now.  O  do  listen,  and  heed  before 
it  is  too  late. 

"  There  is  a  line,  by  us  unseen, 
That  crosses  every  path. 


Il8  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

A  hidden  boundary  between 

God's  patience  and  His  wrath. 
Oh,  where  is  that  mysterious  bourne, 

By  which  our  path  is  crossed, 
Beyond  which  God  Himself  hath  sworn, 

That  he  who  goes  is  lost !" 

You  know  only  too  well  that  God  is  warning  you.  When  I 
pray  for  you,  I  seem  to  get  an  evidence  that  you  will  some  day 
get  where  you  will  obey  God;  yet  at  the  same  time  I  have  the  feel- 
ing that  unless  you  will  yield  to  Him  while  He  is  gently  calling, 
that  He  will  use  stronger  means ;  and  I  fear  that  whatever  it  means, 
it  will  mean  a  great  deal  to  you.  I  have  felt  this,  and  I  have  said 
very  little  about  it ;  but  I  have  felt  it  my  duty,  for  it  says  in  Ezek. 
3 :  17  that  God  has  appointed  us  watchmen,  and  that  if  we  do  not 
warn  people,  and  they  die  in  their  sins,  their  blood  will  be  required 
at  our  hands.  I  intend  to  do  my  duty  to  you  whether  it  hurts  or 
not.  Will  you  take  warning  while  God  is  tenderly  calling,  or  will 
you  wait  until  God  starts  to  pour  out  His  judgments  upon  you? 
Why  not  yield  to  God  now,  and  avoid  the  wrath  of  a  justly  angry 
God?  You  know  what  I  have  been  telling  you  is  true.  Would 
God  I  could  show  you  your  danger  as  it  is.  "  They  that  being  often 
reproved,  hardeneth  their  necks,  shall  suddenly  come  to  destruction, 
and  that  without  remedy."  Prov.  29:1.  "Heaven  and  earth  shall 
pass,  but  not  one  jot  or  title  shall  pass  from  the  law  till  all  be  ful- 
filled." God  bless  you,  and  may  you  see  your  danger,  and  get  out 
of  it. 

Even  if  we  did  have  a  hard  time  in  this  world  serving  Jesus, — 
which  is  not  the  case,  as  Jesus  helps  us, —  it  would  be  much  better 
than  having  a  good  time  here,  which  the  world  does  not  have,  and 
spending  an  eternity  of  woe.  I  would  sooner  take  my  hard  times  in 
this  world.  What  would  forty  years  of  hardships,  or  even  one 
hundred,  count  in  this  world  to  1,000,000,000,000  years  in  hell;  and 
then  eternity  will  still  be  no  days  less.  You  may  think  I  am  over- 
drawing this  picture,  and  am  ju.st  excited;  but  that  is  not  so.  These 
are  facts  which  can  only  be  avoided  by  doing  your  duty. 

Bertha. 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    RERTHA    RASMUSSEN  119 

]\Iy  Precious  Brother  and  Sister:  To-day  is  Saturday,  and 
Charles  is  out  cutting  wood.  He  is  fat  and  rosy.  I  guess  I  am 
what  you  call  rosy,  too.  Profes.sor  is  our  Bible-class  teacher,  and 
he  says  people  ought  to  be  sort  of  reddish  ;  that  was  the  way  God 
made  man.  And  I  say  they  squeeze  all  the  pink  out  of  their  faces. 
No  wonder  they  are  so  white.  They  soon  get  their  livers  out  of 
order,  and  then  turn  dark. 

I  have  been  over  sweeping  the  chapel,  as  Charles  was   not  iiere 

to  do  it.     Brother  E came  a   few  minutes   ago,   and  gave   us   a 

sack  of  potatoes.  God  bless  him.  He  is  a  temperance  boy,  and  says 
he  is  going  to  vote  for  Prohibition.  There  was  a  man  here  for 
dinner  to-day.  He  was  a  preacher.  I  asked  him  if  he  was 
going  to  vote  for  prohibition.  He  said,  "  Yes,"  and  I  had  him 
promise  that  he  would  stir  up  his  members  to  vote  for  temperance. 
I  bless  God,  I  know  He  is  going  to  carry  us  through.  Do  all  you 
can  to  influence  others  to  vote  for  prohibition. 

I've  still  a  through  ticket  to  the  pearly  gates,  and  a  title  clear 
to  a  mansion  in  the  skies.  Hallelujah  !  I  am  the  child  of  a  King. 
Be  true  to  God.     God  bless  you,  and  be  with  you  till  we  meet  again. 

Your  loving  sister,  to  fight  for  truth  and  right  till   I  die. 

Bertha. 

My  Dear  Brother  and  Sister:  I  well  remember  when  I  left  you. 
and  I  was  waiting  in  the  depot  at  Omaha  for  the  train.  How  many 
things  have  happened  since  then.     It   is  wonderful. 

"  God   works   in   a   mysterious  way, 
His  wonders  to  perform." 

Charles  and  I  had  such  a  nice  trip.  That  same  Thursday  night 
that  we  left  you  at  about  12:00  o'clock,  we  were  crossing  the  Mis- 
souri, and  we  could  see  the  fair  grounds  in  Omaha  all  lighted  up. 
It  looked  so  pretty.  The  next  afternoon  about  3 :  00  o'clock  we 
boarded  the  Pacific  Railway  car,  and  went  puffing  toward  St.  Louis. 
I  did  enjoy  it  so  much.  I  remember  as  distinctly  as  ever  the  next 
morning  we  entered  the  suburbs  of  St.  Louis,  and  I  was  wondering, 
you  know  just  like  a  person  will,  about  things.  Then  I  remember 
when  we  came  to  the  missionary  home  that  Brother  was  the 


I20  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

first  one  I  saw.  I  have  had  such  good  times  in  St.  Louis  sometimes. 
We  had  such  nice  weather  while  I  was  tliere.  One  night  when 
Charles  and  I  were  going  to  the  Mission  (the  main  streets  in  large 
cities  are  very  crowded,  and  you  meet  a  great  many),  we  made  up 
between  ourselves  to  notice  how  many  among  those  we  met  would 
be  talking  about  what  some  one  else  had  said  and  what  they  had 
said,  and  every  one  we  met  were,  except  two  or  three.  So  you 
see  that  is  the  train  of  thought  and  conversation.  I  well  remember 
the  last  few  days  we  spent  in  St.  Louis.  Saturday  we  went  down 
to  Carondelet  and  stayed  until  Monday.  We  went  down  to  the 
park  that  afternoon.  When  we  came  back,  we  received  fifteen 
dollars  in  the  mail.  We  then  went  to  work,  and  got  ready  to  come 
to  College  Mound.  Monday  night  Charles  and  I  walked  up  Jef- 
ferson Avenue  for  the  last  time.     The  next  morning  Brother  T 

took  us  to  the  depot,  and  by  ten  o'clock  we  were  making  for 
Moberly,  where  we  changed  cars  for  Excello.  We  reached  College 
Mound  about  eleven  o'clock  Tuesday  night.  I  don't  think  I  shall 
ever  forget  old  St.  Louis  times.  God  has  so  wonderfully  shielded 
and  protected  us. 

"  When  the  last  feeble  step  has  been  taken, 

And  the  gates  of  that  city  appear, 
And  the  beautiful  songs  of  the  angels 

Float  out  on  my  listening  ear; 
When  all  that  now  seems  so  mysterious, 

Shall  be  bright  and  as  clear  as  the  day; 
Then  the  toils  of  the  road  will  seem  nothing, 

When  we  get  to  the  end  of  the  way." 

Every  word  of  this  is  true.     Some  day  we  will  understand. 

Charles  is  chopping  wood,  and  I  am  going  to  help  clean  the  col- 
lege library.  Bless  God,  I  know  this  past  year  has  been  the  best 
one  of  my  life.  I  have  grown  in  grace.  I  am  sure  I  have.  I  am 
saved,  sanctified,  satisfied  with  the  way,  and  on  the  march  for  glory. 
I  intend  to  be  true  every  step  of  the  way.  Be  true  to  God  and  He 
will  be  with  you.  He  is  a  friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a 
brother.     Many  of  those  I  know  have  gone  to  the  realms  of  an  un- 


OK   THE    LIFE    OF    BERTH  A    UASMUSSEN  121 

known  world.  I  expect  to  meet  five  of  these.  They  were  dear 
friends  to  me.  God  knows  what  He  took  them  for,  whether  we 
do  or  not.  I  am  so  glad  I  am  ready  to  meet  God  now.  How  is  it 
with  you?  Do  you  know  the  same?  It  is  your  privilege.  Men 
nor  devils  can  not  cheat  us  out  of  heaven,  but  we  can  keep  ourselves 
out  if  we  choose.  I  propose,  for  one,  to  spend  an  eternity  in  the 
realms  of  eternal  bliss.  Oh,  1  would  not  give  up  the  joy  and  peace 
in  knowing  that  I  am  ready  to  meet  God  for  a  thousand  worlds 
like  this.  But  still  we  may  sell  our  souls  for  nothing,  and  that  is 
what  thousands  of  people  are  doing  to-day,  and  they  are  slipping 
into  hell. 

The  Lord  is  wonderfully  helping  me  in  my  studies,  and  I  am  so 
thankful  for  that. 

Is   that   really  true  about  ?     Well,   I   tell   you  the   devil    is 

getting  hundreds  of  them  all  the  time.  It  is  terrible,  and  people 
go  along  the  street  hallooing,  "  Hurrah  for  McKinley !  "  and  I  read 
in  a  temperance  piece  the  other  day  that  Congress  passed  a  law 
forbidding  the  army  canteen,  and  McKinley  vetoed  it ;  and  ever 
since  then,  in  spite  of  petitions  and  everything  else,  this  man,  that 
some  people  call  Christian  and  noble,  has  had  the  power  to  do  away 
with  the  army  canteen,  and  he  did  not  do  it.  Is  not  that  an  awful 
sliame?  I  must  close.  Be  sure  you  are  ready  to  meet  a  just  God. 
Your  loving  sister,  Bertha. 

My  Precious  Alice  :  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  do  get  lonesome 
sometimes  to  see- you,  but  there  are  some  things  that  man  must  en- 
dure, and  I  guess  that  is  one  of  them.  Well,  bless  God,  I'll  get  to 
see  you  in  His  own  time.  Be  true  to  God,  and  stick  up  for  what 
is  right.  We  used  to  talk  about  getting  our  education  together.  I 
don't  expect  that  will  ever  happen,  unless  you  should  come  down 
here  to  go  to  school ;  but  we  can  all  make  our  lives  a  success  if 
we  will,  and  I  intend  so  to  make  mine.  Use  your  influence  for 
temperance.  Do  your  duty  at  all  co.sts.  Heaven  is  cheap  at  any 
price.  God  bless  you,  and  may  you  be  instrumental  in  saving  many 
.souls.  To-morrow  is  election.  God  has  some  faithful  servants  who 
will  vote  for  God  and  home  and  native  land.  God  will  reward  them. 
There  is  nothing  truly  noble  or  heroic  unless  it  is  right.     May  God's 


122  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

richest  blessings  rest  upon  you,  .is  my  prayer.  You  will  never  come 
to  such  a  liard  place  but  that  Jesus  can  take  you  through.  Always 
remember  the  devil  is  mighty,  but  God  is  Almighty;  and  He  has 
promised  to  be  with  us  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world. 
Amen.  Glory  to  our  God.  He  saves,  sanctities,  and  fits  me  for  glory 
just  now.     It  never  pays  to  give  up. 

"  We  pass  this   way  but   once. 
The  ripened  harvest  white 
Has  waited  long  the  victors'  song; 
Thrust  in  thy  sickle  bright. 

"  We  pass  this  way  but  once. 

There's   work   divine    for   thee: 
On   every   hand,   the   needy, stand, 
And  sigh  for  sympathy. 

"  We  pass   this   way   but   once. 
Wage   well   thy   warf.-'.rc   now, 
Beyond  the  strife,  bright  crowns  of  life 
Await  the  victor's  brow. 

"  We  pass  this  way  but  once. 

Where  saints  and  heroes  trod, 
Through  toil  and  pain,  at  last  to  gain 
The  paradise  of  God." 

That  is  very  true.  What  we  do  must  be  done  quickly,  for  the 
time  Cometh,  yea,  is  even  at  the  door,  when  we  can  not  work.  A 
few  more  years  and  we  will  be  ushered  into  the  presence  of  out 
Lord.  Will  we  meet  Him  with  joy.  or  will  we  hide  from  His 
blessed  face?  As  for  us,  we  purpose  to  sing,  the  praises  of  God 
around  the  great  white  throne  where  there  are  no  more  heart-aches 
and  no  more  troubles  and  pains,  and  where  we  shall  go  out  no 
more  forever,  and  where  the  word  "  farewell  "  is  never  spoken. 
There  shall  be  no  more  sorrow  nor  trouble,  neither  weeping ;  for 
Jesus  will  wipe  away  all  tears  from  our  eyes.     Is  not  that  blessed? 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  123 

Who  would  not  want  to  spend  sucli  an  eternity  of  bliss?  But  I 
fear  there  are  many  who  are  dreaming  of  heaven  who  will  nevei 
see  the  inside  of  that  pearly  city  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God: 
for  He  has  said,  Not  every  one  that  sayeth  unto  me,  Lord,  Lord, 
shall  enter  into  heaven,  but  they  that  do  God's  will,  and  it  means 
more  to  do  it  than  just  the  mere  say  so.  "If  ye  suffer  with  me,  yf 
shall  also  reign  with  me."  Jesus  is  going  to  have  a  bright  and 
glorious  bride  without  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing.  Thi= 
world  is  not  a  place  for  us  to  fool  away  and  kill  time,  as  the  saying 
is,  but  it  is  a  place  for  us  to  get  ready  for  a  never-ending  eternity 
Oh  Alice,  just  one  hour  spent  inside  the  pearly  gates  will  amply  re 
pay  us  for  all  we  have  to  undergo  in  this  life.  We  shall  have  to  give 
an  account  of  every  vain  and  idle  word  we  speak,  so  let  us  bf 
watchful.  If  you  should  gain  an  entrance  into  that  beautiful  cit} 
before  ,1  do,  look  out  for  me,  for  I  am  coming,  too.  Oh,  it  will  be 
wonderful  when  we  shall  meet  Jesus,  if  we  are  able  to  look  into 
the  face  of  Him  who  paid  the  debt  on  Calvary,  and  say,  "  I  have 
suffered  with  Thee,  now  I  come  to  reign  with  Thee,  and  here  are 
the  sheaves  I  bring  with  me;"  and  He  will  look  at  us  and  smile, 
and  say,  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant :  thou  hast  beer- 
faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things" 
enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  lord."  Then  we  shall  sing  the  songf 
of  Moses  and  the  Lamb  through  the  ceaseless  ages  of  eternity,  and 
we  shall  wave  our  palms  of  victory,  and  play  our  harps,  and  sing. 
"Glory!  Glory  and  honor  and  majesty  to  the  Lamb  who  was 
slain,  but  who  liveth  again,  and  shall  live  forevermore."  Oh  Alice, 
with  such  prospects  before  us,  can  we  not  afford  to.  go  through  3 
few  trials  here  on  earth?  Oh,  the  inexhaustible  love  and  mercy  of 
God,  who  permitted  His  blessed  Son  to  come  and  die  that  wc. 
might  live.  Oh,  that  we  would  be  more  thankful.  There  is  a  day 
when  everything  that  is  now  so  mysterious  will  be  bright  and  a« 
clear  as  the  day.  By  and  by  we  shall  know.  There  is  a  court  going 
to  set  one  of  these  days,  and  the  chief  executive  judge  will  be 
Christ,  and  He  is  the  one  who  will  give  justice.  All  wrongs  will 
then  be  righted.  As  for  me  and  myself,  I  can  say  that  I  am  going 
to  make  my  home  in  heaven,  and  take  all  I  can  along  with  me.  I 
know   that  means   a  good   deal,   but   still    there   is 'nothing   impos 


124  ^   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

^ible  with  God.  If  we  are  only  true  and  faithful,  we  will  get  out 
of  this  cold  and  unfriendly  world  where  we  shall  have  no  more 
heartaches  and  pains,  and  where  we  won't  be  troubled  with  the  prob- 
lems of  this  life.  Hallelujah!  "To  him  that  overcometh  will  I 
grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame,  and 
am  set  down  with  my  Father  in  his  throne."  Blessed  words  of  Jesus. 
He  has  done  so  much  for  me.  God  seems  to  have  given  me  an  in- 
spiration to  write  this  to-night.  It  may  be  you  need  courage.  Now 
be  true  to  God,  and  if  you  are  not  sanctified,  get  there;  for  God 
means  every  word  when  He  says,  "  Without  holiness  no  man  shall 
see  the  Lord."  We  can  not  get  around  that.  I  know  I  am  ready  to 
meet  God  now. 

Your  loving  sister  in  the  battle  for  God,  home,  and  native  land, 

Bertha. 

My  Precious  Brother  and  Sister:  We  have  been  working  hard 
to-day.  May  and  I  have  been  ironing  all  day.  We  did  three  iron- 
ings.    Well,  I  would  not  be  anybody  else  to-night  but  poor  mc. 

God  says,  "  Blessed  are  ye  that  hunger  now :  for  ye  shall  be 
filled."    I  have  not  been  hwngry  yet,  but  it  applies  just  the  same. 

I  will  tell  you  we  are  in  the  last  church  of  Asia,  spoken  of  in 
Revelation.  We  are  in  the  Laodicean  church.  Hear  what  it  says 
about  it :  "And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  of  the  Laodiceans 
write :  These  things  saith  the  Amen,  the  faithful  and  true  witness, 
the  beginning  of  the  creation  of  God ;  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou 
art  neither  cold  nor  hot  (isn't  that  as  true  as  anything  ever  was 
true?)  :  I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot.  So  then  because  thou  art 
lukewarm,  and  neither  cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spue  thee  out  of  my 
mouth.  Because  thou  sayest,  I  am  rich,  and  increased  with  goods, 
and  have  need  of  nothing;  and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  wretched, 
and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked,"  etc.  Here  is  the 
promise  to  those  who  are  faithful  and  are  hot :  "  To  him  that  over- 
cometh will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also 
overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  my  Father  in  his  throne."  Thank 
God  for  that.  See  well  to  it  that  you  are  not  lukewarm,  for  God 
has  said  He  will  spue  such  out  of  His  mouth. 

I    was   tliinking  the   other   day   how   wonderfully   God   kept    me 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    P.ERTHA    RASMUSSEN  125 

the  time  I  took  Bessie  to  Elkpoint,  and  came  back  the  next  day 
alone.  Well,  I  am  sure  I  enjoyed  the  trip.  I  read  nearly  all  the 
way  home,  and  never  thought  of  being  afraid  of  my  team.  God 
spared  me  for  a  purpose,  and  I  intend  to  fulfill  that  purpose  to 
the  best  of  my  ability. 

I  wish,  if  it  were  God's  will,  that  you  could  have  the  privilege 
of  being  in  our  Bible  class.  I  would  not  miss  it  for  anything,  if  I 
could  help  it.  It  is  getting  more  interesting  every  day.  We  have 
it  the  first  hour  every  day. 

Well,  yesterday  was  election  day.    The  night  before,  Brother 

was   in   here.      I   asked   him   if   Brother  ,   a    holiness   man,   was 

going  to  vote  for  Bryan,  as  I  had  heard  he  was.  He  said  he  would 
not  be  surprised  if  he  did.  I  thought  it  would  never  do  for  a 
holiness  man  to  vote  for  Bryan  or  McKinley,  so  yesterday  morning 
I  asked  the.  Professor  about  it,  and  he  did  not  know,  but  said  that 
I  might  go  out  and  find  him  and  talk  to  him  about  it.  They  live 
just  a  little  ways  out  of  town,  so  I  got  ready  and  started  on  my 
mission.  I  met  him  on  the  way  coming  to  town,  and  said,  "  I 
hea'r  you  are  going  to  vote  for  Bryan.  Is  that  so?"  "No,"  he 
said.  He  said  he  used  to  be  a  Democrat,  but  he  could  not  conscien- 
tiously vote  for  either  party  now,  and  that  he  was  going  to  vote 
for  prohibition.  Of  course  I  was  glad  of  that.  On  my  way  home 
I  passed  the  postmaster  as  he  was  out  posting  bills,  and  I  said,  as  I 
passed  him,  "  Vote  a  good  vote  for  Woolley  this  time."  I  came 
home  then,  after  having  a  nice  morning  walk  and  out  on  post  for 
Woolley.     Pretty  soon  the  school-bell  rang,   and  I   started  for  the 

college,   and   on   the   sidewalk   met   Brother  ,   and   said,    as    he 

passed,  "  Vote  for  Woolley."     He  said,  "  I  have  done  that  already." 

I  tell  you  I  was  glad.     E cast  his  first  vote  for  Woolley  this 

time.  This  is  the  first  time  he  voted,  and  he  started  out  right. 
He  wrote  some  poetry,  and  showed  it  to  me.    I  have  part  of  it :  — 

"Hurrah  for  Woolley,  just  for  fun, 
Enough  to  make  the  rummies  run. 
When  Woolley's  in,  how  I  shall  shout 
To  see  the  rummies  digging  out. 
I'd  vote  for  right,  and  lose  my  vote, 
Before  I  would  make  a  whisky  bloat." 


126  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

We  have  some  good  Prohibitionists  here.  Charles  will  be  able  to 
vote  next  time,  if  he  lives  and  the  world  stands. 

To-morrow  and  next  day  will  be  examination.  Well,  I  am  not 
afraid  of  it.     I  must  stop  writing  now,  as  we  were  intending  to  go 

out  to  Brother  's  to  have  prayer-meeting  with  the  young  folks 

to-night.  God  bless  you.  I  am  saved,  sanctified,  and  ready  for 
glory.  Your  loving  sister,  Bertha. 

My  Precious  Sister  and  Brother:  I  am  so  glad  I  have  salva- 
tion, if  I  did  not  I  would  have  a  terrible  time  of  it.  God  has 
promised  never  to  leave  us  nor  forsake  us,  and  He  is  just  as  good 
as  His  word. 

I  am  reading  "  Paradise  Lost."  I  think  it  is  very  interesting. 
It  is  poetry,  and  you  know  I  like  poetry  so  well.  I  am  so  rushed 
with  my  studies.  We  are  all  well  and  happy,  and  I  sincerely  hope 
you  are.  God  bless  and  lead  you  out  in  His  divine  love.  I  wish 
you  could  be  here  in  our  Bible  class,  and  get  the  good  of  it  too. 
It  is  just  fine. 

We  are  getting  along  very  well.  God  is  with  us.  There  has  been 
a  show  here  in  town,  but  of  course  I  don't  care  for  such  things. 
God's  people  have  something  better.  I  am  so  glad  I  have  the  old- 
time  religion,  and  am  ready  to  meet  God. 

You  must  not  think  we  have  forgotten  you  when  you  don't  get 
letters  as  often  as  you  used  to.  I  am  kept  busy  nearly  all  the  time, 
and  sometimes  we  have  nothing  to  send  letters  with ;  but  our  Father 
is  rich,  and  He  will  carry  us  through.  I  can  not  express  how 
thankful  I  am  for  the  privilege  of  coming  to  this  school,  and  I 
am  willing  to  go  through  hardships.  God  will  tide  us  over  and  see 
us  through.  May  God's  richest  blessing  rest  upon  you,  and  may 
you  be  where  He  wants  you  to  be. 

"  God  be  with  you  till  we  meet  again. 
By   His   counsels  guide,   uphold  you, 
With  His  sheep  securely  fold  you; 
God  be  with  you  till  we  meet  again." 

I  am,  as  ever,  a  lover  of  truth  and  right  on  every  line, 

Bertha. 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  127 

jMy  Precious  Sister  Alice:  It  has  been  snowing  to-day,  and  it 
is  quite  wintry.     It  did  look  so  pretty  while  it  was  snowing. 

A  few  evenings  ago  JMiss  A ,  one  of  my  teachers,  and  I  went 

over  to  see  a   woman  whose  husband  was  killed  in  the  mines  last 

summer.     I  took  a  guitar  and  Miss  A a  mouth-organ,  and  when 

we  got  there,  we  played  "  In  the   Sweet   By-and-By,"  and  "  Home, 

Sweet    Home,"    outside    the    door.      Mrs.    S then    opened    the 

door,  and  invited  us  in,  and  we  played  and  sang  for  her  and  the 
children  for  some  time.  Then  we  had  prayer,  and  went  home. 
When  her  husband  died,  she  took  it  very  hard.  He  had  been  a 
very  wicked  man,  and  was  killed  almost  instantly  by  a  falling  rock, 
and  lived  only  a  few  minutes  after  it  struck  him.  After  he  had 
been  dead  a  short  time,  I  went  to  see  her,  and  talked  to  her  aliout 
religion,  and  prayed  with  her.  She  is  not  thirty  years  old,  and 
she  has  four  children.  She  was  all  broken  up,  and  said  she  wanted 
to  be  saVed,  and  I  kept  praying  for  her.  I  saw  her  a  couple  of  times 
after  that,  and  she  said  she  felt  better,  but  could  not  say  she  was 
saved  yet.  When  we  were  there  the  other  night,  I  asked  her  if 
she  knew  she  was  saved,  and  she  said,  "  Yes,"  and  her  face  just 
shone.  I  tell  you  it  made  me  feel  good  to  hear  her  say  that,  and  to 
know  I  had  done  my  duty,  and  that  she  had  accepted  Christ.  Surely 
the  joy  of  being  instrumental  in  saving  a  soul  is  wonderful.  If  yon 
have  not  tried  it  already,  try  it.  It  is  grand.  Let  us  see  well 
to  it  that  when  we  come  up  to  the  judgment-bar  of  God  that  no 
one  will  confront  us  and  say,  "  If  you  had  done  your  duty,  I  might 
have  been  saved ;  but  now  I  am  lost,  forever  lost,  and  my  blood  is 
on  your  skirts."  God  helping  me,  I  intend  to  do  my  duty.  I  know 
it  is  a  cross;  it  seems  like  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  I  have  sometimes, 
but  God  has  promised  more  grace,  and  then  it  will  not  seem  so  hard 

We  have  students'  prayer-meeting  every  Friday  night.  I  enjoy 
them  so  much.  Honestly,  it  seems  like  a  miracle,  and  surely  it  is 
almost  one,  that  we  ever  came  to  this  school.     Truly, — 

"  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way. 
His  wonders  to   perform ; 
He  plants  His  footsteps  in  the  sea, 
And  rides  upon  the  storm." 


128  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

God  knew  where  we  ought  to  be,  and  worked  it  around  in  His 
own  way.  I  am  in  two  Bible  classes.  One  recites  an  hour  and  the 
other  one  a  half  an  hour.  If  it  were  God's  will,  I  should  be  so  glad 
if  you  could  be  here  to  get  Bible  knowledge.  I  would  not  miss  our 
Bible  dasses  for  anything  I  know  of,  unless  God  wanted  me  to. 
In  our  first  Bible  class  we  have  been  having  the  subject  of  mar- 
riage, and  I  believe  I  can  tell  the  meaning  of  the  scripture,  "  Let 
your  women  keep  silence  in  the  churches."  We  got  right  down  into 
deep  things,  that  is  what  I  love.  In  our  second  class  we  are  study- 
ing the  four  beasts  mentioned  in  Daniel.  It  is  a  fine  subject.  I  tell 
you  I  am  interested.  Professor  Taylor  is  our  Bible  teacher.  He  is 
the  president  of  the  college,  and  has  a  fine  education.  He  has 
made  a  special  study  of  the  Bible.  It  is  blessed  now,  bCit  better  on 
before.  I  have  barely  got  a  start  into  the  deep  things  of  the 
Bible.     Many  people  do  not  even  get  a  start. 

I  can  see  God's  hand  leading  me  all  along  ever  since  I  can  re- 
member. He  has  been  so  good  to  me.  My  experience  has  done  me 
good,  and  I  will  know  how  to  sympathize  with  others  who  have  a 
hard  lot.  Sometimes  I  get  lonely  and  would  like  to  see  you,  but  I 
am  generally  kept  so  busy  studying.  But  time  and  tide  wait  for  no 
man,  and  we  must  improve  every  opportunity,  for  they  come  but 
once.  We  are  all  working  for  glory,  and  if  such  a  thing  should 
happen  as  us  not  meeting  again  on  this  earth,  if  we  are  faithful 
we  shall  soon  be  in  the  mansion  which  is  prepared  for  us,  where  we 
shall  go  no  more  out  forever.  Won't  that  be  grand  ?  In  this 
world  we  meet  and  part  and  go  from  place  to  place,  feeling  that  we 
are  strangers,  and  that  we  are  seeking  a  city  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  and  in  the  heavens;  but  pretty  soon  things  are  going  to 
change.  We  shall  go  into  that  city.  Oh  Hallelujah!  No  more 
parting,  tears,  heartaches,  pains,  and  sorrows,  but  eternal  rest  and 
happiness.  Let  us  be  faithful  unto  death,  and  God  will  give  us  a 
crown  of  life. 

"  There  are  so  many  hills  to  climb  upward, 
I  often  am  longing  for  rest ; 
But  He  who  appoints  me  my  pathway 
Knows  just  what  is  needful  and  best. 


OR   Tlir.    LIFE    OF    BFKTIIA    KASMUSSEN  129 

I   know   in   His  word  He  has   promised 
That  my  strength,  '  it  shall  be  as  my  day ;  ' 

And  the  toils  of  the  road  will  seem  nothing, 
When   I  get  to  the  end  of  the  way. 

"  When  the  last  fecl)le  step  has  been  taken. 
And  the  gates  of  that  city  appear. 
And  the  beautiful  songs  of  the  angels 

Float  out   on   my   listening  ear; 
When  all  that  now  seems  so  mysterious, 

Will  be  bright  and  as  clear  as  the  day ;  ' 

Then  the  toils  of  the  road  will  seem   nothing, 
When  I  get  to  the  end  of  the  way." 

I  like  that  song  so  nnich.  'i'liere  are  four  verses,  but  these  two  I 
like  especially.  Read  Rom.  8:,?5-39.  God  has  said,  "Heaven  and 
earth  shall  pass,  but  not  one  jot  or  title  shall  pass  from  the  law 
till  all  be  fulfilled."' 

You  talk  of  not  having  much  to  write.  Well,  I  know  how  that 
is,  for  I  have  a  hard  time  to  write  unless  the  Lord  helps  me.  When 
I  was  in  St.  Louis,  where  I  saw  interesting  tilings  nearly  every 
day,  I  had  no  trouble  to  write. 

I  know  I  am  saved  and  sanctified  and  ready  to  die  and  go  to 
glory.  Be  true  to  God  at  all  costs.  It  pays.  May  God's  richest 
blessing  rest  upon  you  is  my  prayer.  Don't  give  up  for  anything, 
but  get  closer  to  God. 

Your  loving  sister,  for  God  and  home  and  native  land,  and  to 
lift  up  the  fallen.  Rerth.\. 

November  22,  1900. 

My  Dear  Sister  C :  I  received  your  letter  just  one  week  ago 

to-night.  I  had  been  ironing  all  day,  and  was  very  tired,  and  your 
letter  did  me  so  much  good.  It  was  so  refreshing.  I  often  have 
spoken  about  your  not  writing,  and  wondered  why  you  did  not,  and 
came  near  writing  you  again.  I'm  so  glad  you  wrote,  for  it  does 
encourage  me  to  know  you  are  still  in  the  battle.  We  were  enabled 
to   gain    some   wonderful    victories    together    in    St.    Louis   through 


I30  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

Jesus,  who,  has  said,  "  We  shall  be  more  than  conquerors."  I 
have  had  some  blessed  times  at  St.  Louis.  But  I  know  I  am  where 
God  wants  me  now,  and  that  is  enough.  This  is  a  "  Holiness 
School "  in  reality.  A  person  is  surrounded  with  good  influences, 
and  any  one  who  will  serve  God  is  encouraged,  and  has  a  good 
chance  of  doing  so.  This  school  is  run  by  no  denomination  or 
church,  and  is  perfectly  free  from  sectism  or  churchism.  They 
believe  that  if  you  have  your  name  written  on  the  Lamb's  Book  of 
Life  in  heaven,  that  is  sufficient.  Of  course  they  are  not  preju- 
diced against  anybody,  whether  they  belong  to  any  church  or  not. 
People  who  belong  to  churches  come  here,  and  are  as  kindly  wel- 
comed as  those  who  belong  to  no  church.  I  think  that  is  the  right 
way.  I  am  glad  you  have  been  praying  for  us,  for  we  need  your 
prayers.  It  is  truly  a  wonderful  thing  to  have  the  prayers  of 
Christians.  The  Bible  says,  "  The  fervent  effectual  prayers  of  a 
righteous  man  availeth  much."  We  have  proven  that  to  be  true, 
have  we  not?  It  is  wonderful  how  the  Lord  answered  our  prayers, 
both  in  your  behalf  and  in  ours.  Bless  God,  we  have  a  Father  who 
is  always  the  nearest  when  we  need  Him  the  most,  if  we  only  put 
our  trust  in  Him.  When  I  got  your  letter,  before  I  opened  it,  I 
knelt  down  and  asked  God  to  prepare  me  to  read  the  letter,  and  to 
bless  you ;  and  when  I  read  it,  I  cried,  not  because  I  felt  bad,  but 
I  felt  so  good.  Oh,  hallelujah  for  the  old-time  religion.  It  just 
suits  me,  but  I  want  to  get  more  of  it.  I  prayed  for  you  and  Rosa. 
I  feel  so  interested  in  her,  although  I  have  never  seen  her  I  will 
remember  and  pray  for  her,  that  God  may  raise  her  up.  I  know 
He  can  do  it,  and  I  believe  He  will,  if  He  sees  it  would  be  for  the 
best.  I  also  will  pray  for  you.  I  believe  in  praying  for  one  an- 
other. I  know  it  is  a  great  help.  Let  us  unite  our  prayers  for  Rosa, 
also  your  mother  and  father,  and  I  believe  something  will  give  way. 
It  must  be  God  who  is  softening  your  father's  heart.  God  is  able 
to  finish  what  He  has  begun.  He  will  do  all  He  can.  He  says, 
"Ask  largely,  that  your  joy  may  be  full." 

It  would  be  real  nice  if  we  could  see  each  other  again,  and  talk 
our  hearts  out  to  each  other  and  pray  ;  but  still,  if  we  are  faithful, 
we  shall  walk  the  golden  streets  together  in  the  city  where  God's 
people  "  shall  go  no  more  out  forever,"  and  where  we  shall  never 


OR   THE    LIFK    OF    HERTIIA    RASMl'SSEN  131 

part,  and  "  farewells  "  are  never  heard.  Halleluiah  !  Nothins?  can 
keep  us  from  this  but  ourselves,  for  God  himself  has  said,  "  Who 
shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  shall  tribulation,  or  dis- 
tress, or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword? 
As  it  is  written.  For  thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long ;  we  are 
accounted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter.  Nay,  in  all  things  we  are 
more  than  conquerors,  through  Him  that  loved  us.  For  I  am  per- 
suaded that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities, 
nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor 
depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the 
love  of  God,  which  is  in  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  Rom.  8:35-39. 
God  has  also  said,  "  Till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or  tittle 
shall  in  no  wise  pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled."  Let  us  be 
true  and  faithful,  and  He  will  reward  us. 

It  has  been  snowing  this  afternoon,  and  looks  very  pretty  out- 
side. It  is  the  first  real  snow  we  have  had.  We  have  a  good 
Bible  class  here.  Our  teacher  is  a  very  spiritual  man.  I  would  like 
you  to  be  here,  if  it  were  God's  will ;  still  He  knows  best,  and  let 
us  pray  for  your  freedom  in  the  work,  and  that  He  will  have  His 
way.  We  would  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  v/henever  you  can 
write. 

I  want  to  say  that  I  am  very  interested  in  fallen  girls,  and  the 
interest  is  increasing,  and  I  would  not  wonder  if  that  would  be  my 
lifework.     God  alone  knows.     I  am  sure  I  should  enjoy  it. 

God  be  with  you  till  we  meet  again,  whether  in  heaven  or  on 
earth.  Let  us  be  true  to  God.  We  have  gotten  into  some  pretty 
close  places  sometimes,  but  God  has  always  helped  us  out.  I  know 
to-night  that  I  am  saved,  sanctified,  and  ready  to  meet  a  just  God. 
I  would  not  want  to  part  with  this  assurance  if  you  would  pay 
ten  thousand  worlds  like  this  at  my  feet  in  exchange;  and  yet  if  we 
are  not  careful,  we  will  sell  Christ  for  less  than  thirty  pieces  of 
silver.  God  help  us.  Be  faithful,  and  we  shall  have  the  privilege 
of  walking  the  golden   streets   arm   in   arm.      Hallelujah! 

Your  loving  sister  for  truth  and  right,  and  to  lift  up  the  fallen, 

Bertha. 


132  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

November.  1900. 

]\Iy  Dear  Brother  and  Sister:  There  are  lots  of  things  here 
that  seem  to  help  one  along,  but  unless  you  keep  close  to  Jesus  you 
are  in  great  danger  of  backsliding.  "  Where  much  is  given,  much 
is  required."  We  are  in  the  last  times.  It  can  be  proven  by  the 
Bible.  If  what  is  said  about  the  Laodicean  church  don't  hit  us,  I 
don't  know   what   does. 

I  am  quite  interested  in  my  studies.  I  e.xpect  to  hnish  liistory, 
geography,  etymology,  and  spelling  this  term.  I  am  not  ljra2;ging, 
but  I  can  say  that  I  very  seldom  go  to  class  without  knowing  my 
lesson.  My  examination  grades  might  be  interesting  to  you : 
Arithmetic,  100  per  cent.;  geography,  98;  etymology,  97;  civil  gov- 
ernment, 80;  music,  90;  spelling,  98. 

I  am  saved,  sanctified,  and  ready  for  heaven  now. 

Your  loving  sister,  saved  by  grace,  -  Bertha. 

My  Dear  Sister  Alice:  I  know  I  am  ready  to  meet  God.  I 
mean  to  spend  eternity  in  heaven.  God  is  wonderfully  helping  me 
with  my  studies.  I  do  not  believe  I  ever  learned  faster  in  my  life. 
I  am  keeping  up  my  journal  still.  I  have  filled  one  book  and 
started  on  another.  When  I  was  in  St.  Louis,  I  wrote  a  good  deal 
in  it ;  but  since  I  came  here,  I  have  not  seen  or  been  in  very  inter- 
esting places  to  find  much  to  write.  I  have  learned  a  good  deal  since 
I  left  you.  Perhaps  not  as  much  in  books  as  in  experience.  T 
have  learned  that  you  can  not  depend  on  any  one  but  the  Lord 
I  have  also  learned  that  if  you  have  any  secrets,  you  must  keep 
them  to  yourself.  I  have  had  some  pretty  good  times  since  I  sav 
you  last.  I  thought  the  other  day  of  the  last  walk  you  and  I  had 
together.  I  hope  to  see  you  again,  and  enjoy  another  walk  with 
you;  but  if  that  should  never  be  on  this  earth,  we  can  walk  the 
golden  streets  together  in  the  next  world  if  we  will.  There  will  hf 
no   more  parting  there.     Hallelujah  !     Won't  that  be  grand  I 

How  changed  things  are  from  two  years  ago,  or  even  o;ie  year 
ago.  God  has  been  so  good  to  me,  and  I  have  had  some  won(lc.fully 
good    times. 

I  was  weighed  last  night.  I  weighed  126^2  pounds.  I  tiiinV 
Charlie   weighs  about   165   pounds.      He   was  awful   sick  this   sum 


OR   Tin-:    LIKE    OF    liliUTHA    RASMUSSEN  133 

mer  with  fever,  and  got  so  poor.  God  healed  him.  and  now  he 
weighs  that  much,  and  looks  rosy  and  plump.  T  think  he  is  fatter 
than  he  has  ever  been,  and  he  looks  healthier.  Bless  God,  T  have 
so  much  to  thank  Him  for.  May  He  help  me  to  feel  as  thankful  as 
I  ought.     I  know  I  am  saved  and  sanctified  now. 

"  Give  fools  their  gold,  and  knaves  their  power, 

Let  fortune's  bubbles  rise  and  fall : 
Who  plants  a   field,   or  trains  a   flower, 

Or  plants  a  tree,  is  more  than  all. 
For  he  who  blesses  most  is  blest. 

And   God   and  man   will   own   his   worth, 
Who  seeks  to  leave  as  his  bequest 

An   added   beauty   to   the   earth." 

"  We  pass  this  way  but  once  — 
Where    saints   and   heroes   trod. 
Through  toil  and  pain  at  last  to  gain 
The  paradise  of  God." 

Good-by,  Bertha. 

Decemuek,  1900. 
RIv  Precious  Sister  Alice:  I  wish  you  a  merry  Christmas  and 
a  happy  New  Year.  I  received  your  letter  last  night  stating  your 
poor  health.  You  may  be  sure  I  prayed  for  you.  I  did  not  worry 
about  you,  because  I  know  God  knows  best,  and  can  care  for  you 
better  than  any  one  else;  but  I  could  hardly  help  crying.  I  just 
could  not  help  it,  for  I  still  hold  you  as  dear  as  ever.  I  thought 
of  old  times,  and  I  did  ask  God  if  it  was  His  will  to  let  me  see  you 
again  in  His  own  time.  Honestly,  my  highest  desire  is  to  be  a 
true  soldier,  so  help  me  God.  I  go  and  tell  my  Father  in  heaven 
all  about  it.  We  know  what  it  is  to  have  hard  times,  but  bless  God, 
there  will  be  no  more  sorrow,  suffering,  pain,  or  trouble  when 
Jesus  comes.  Life  is  short  at  the  longest.  Let  us  be  true,  no  mat- 
ter what  we  may  have  to  endure  in  this  world.     If  we  do  not  meet 


134  ^    VOUiNG    MISSIONARY 

on  earth,  we  can  dwell  togetlier  in  heaven.  I  surely  will  not  forget 
to  pray  for  you.  You  pray  God  to  heal  you,  if  it  is  His  will.  He 
can  do  it. 

Later. —  Christmas  is  over.  I  think  I  am  going  out  to  canvass 
for  soap  this  morning.  We  are  having  revival  meetings.  We  are 
having  good  times.  I  was  at  Macon  last  Monday.  We  went  to  take 
a  girl  who  had  been  staying  with  us.  She  went  to  her  grand- 
mother in  Yorkton,  Assiniboia,  Canada.  When  the  train  came 
rumbling  into  Macon,  the  bells  ringing,  and  all  made  me  think  of 
old  times  and  of  my  train  rides.     It  soon  pulled  out  again.. 

Be  true  to  God  at  any  cost.  I  will  pray  for  you  ;  now  you  pray. 
I  am  still  saved  and  sanctified.       Your  loving  sister.        Bertha. 

My  Precioi-.s  Brother  and  Sister:  I  am  very  tire  1  to-night. 
Although  so  tired  in  body,  yet  I  am  resting  so  peacefully  in  the 
arms  of  Jesus  that  I  feel  real  sweet  rest  in  my  soul,  and  really  my 
body  is  resting.  I  feel  victory  all  through  me,  and  if  I  ever  feel 
rather  downcast,  that  really  does  not  worry  me;  but  when  the 
world's  fierce  winds  are  blowing  temptations  sharp  and  keen,  I  fee! 
such  a  peace  in  knowing  my  Saviour  stands  between.  He  stands  to 
shield  me  from  all  danger,  and  when  earthly  friends  are  gone,  or 
can  not  help  us  if  they  should  want  to,  He  has  promised  never  to 
leave  us  alone.  Also  this  verse  is  the  sentiment  of  my  heart  many 
times  when  the  shades  of  night  are  gathering  around  us,  and  I 
sometimes    sing    it :  — 

"Anywhere  with  Jesus  I  can  go  to  sleep. 
When  the  darkening  shadows  round  about  me  creep ; 
Knowing  I  shall  waken  never  more  to  roam. 
Anywhere  with  Jesus  will  be  Home,  Sweet  Home." 

Be  true  to  God.  Be  sure  you  don't  backslide.  You  can  not  stand 
still  after  you  have  the  light,  if  you  don't  walk  in  it.  Now  do  see 
that  you  are  ready  at  all  times.  Your  doom  may  be  sealed,  if  you 
are  not  on  the  lookout  and  sec  that  you  are  ready  continually. 

Bertha. 


OK   THE    LIFE    OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  135 

December  31,  1900. 

My  Dear  Brother  and  Sister:  Yesterday  after  dinner  Charlie 

told  me  that  Mrs.  H (a  woman  living  out  in  the  edge  of  town, 

and  who  has  consumption)  would  like  for  us  to  come  over  and  play 
and  sing  for  her.  So  Homer,  Hattie,  Charlie,  and  I  went.  Charlie 
played  the  guitar,  and  we  sang.  When  we  entered  the  room,  she 
was  sitting  on  the  bed,  leaning  on  a  pillow.  We  played  a  few  songs 
and  prayed  with  her.  It  was  almost  time  for  tlTe  prayer-meeting, 
so  we  left.  Before  leaving,  I  asked  her  if  she  was  saved.  She 
said,  "  Yes,  I  know  I  am."  We  had  a  good  time  ourselves  doing  our 
duty.     It  was  such  a  lovely  afternoon. 

We  have  been  having  revival  meetings  for  over  a  week.  There 
were  eleven  preachers  at  church  the  other  night.  Four  persons 
were  sanctified.  These  folks  have  the  Bible  doctrine.  They  let 
God  do  the  convicting  for  holiness.  Of  course  they  preach  it,  and 
let  God  send  the  truth  spoken  to  their  hearts.  A  man  is  not  re- 
sponsible for  what  i$  in  his  heart,  but  he  is  responsible  as  far  as 
getting  it  out  is  concerned.  A  man  who  is  justified  lives  just  the 
same  as  a  sanctified  man.  The  only  difference  is  that  the  justified 
man  has  enemies  within  and  without,  and  a  sanctified  man  has 
them  on  the  outside  only.  Of  course  God  commands  us  to-be  holy 
even  as  He  is  holy. 

I  wish  you  a  happy  New  Year.  I  have  nothing  to  send  you 
except  love  and  good  wishes.  We  are  living  in  the  last  times.  Be 
sure  your  title  is  clear  to  heaven.     Jesus  may  come  at  any  time. 

Your  sister,  saved,  sanctified,  and  on  the  stretch  for  glory,  and 
expect  by  all  means  to  get  there.  Bertha. 

January  i. — We  had  watch-night  meeting  last  night,  and  had  a 
good  meeting  too.  At  12 :  00  o'clock  Charlie  tolled  the  college  bell 
for  the  dying  year  of  igoo;  and  as  the  new  year  came  in,  the  bell 
swung  merrily,  welcoming  the  incoming  year.  We  were  on  our 
knees  praying  while  the  bell  was  tolling  and  ringing,  and  I  could 
not  help  but  cry  as  190D  slipped  out  of  my  fingers.  Not  a  moment 
could  I  recall  of  it.  But  it  is  all  right.  I  entered  on  this  year  as  I 
did  last,  not  knowing  what  was  coming,  but  I  am  confident  that 
God   will   take   us   through.      Christ   is   coming,   and   that   soon;   all 


136  A    ^■OUNG    MISSIONARY 

prophecies  and  evidence  prove  that.  Are  we  ready?  I  can  say 
that  I  am.     Be  sure  you  are. 

Your  loving  sister  for  God  and  home  and  native  land, 

Bertha. 

January,  1901. 

My  Dear  Sister  C :  We  received  your  letter  last  night.     T 

have  not  heen  feeling  very  well,  so  did  not  write  before.  Although 
I  did  not  write,  I  ha\e  remembered  you  and  Rosa  in  my  prayers. 
There  was  a  while  I  coughed  so  at  night  1  would  not  seem  to  rest 
until  towards  morning ;  but  for  the  last  two  nights  God  has  won- 
derfully undertaken,  and  I  have  rested  so  much  better,  and  I  would 
not  cough  hardly  any. 

Be  encouraged  in  the  Lord.  There  is  never  a  place  that  you 
will  come  to  in  the  Christian  warfare  but-  what  God  can  take  you 
through.  He  is  a  Captain  that  never  let  a  ship  go  down  that  was 
intrusted  to  fUm.  We  are  like  a  ship  on  a  boisterous  and  trouble- 
some sea  of  life;  but  when  the  waves  get  to  coming  too  high,  Jesus 
says,  "  Peace,  be  still."  1  am  so  glad  that  Jesus  is  a  friend  that  stick- 
eth   closer  than   a   brother.  Bertha. 

January.   1901. 

My  Dear  Sister  and  Brother:  I  haven't  been  feeling  very  well, 
but  did  not  have  to  go  to  bed.  I  had  a  cough,  and  cold  in  my  head, 
but  the  cold  in  my  head  seems  to  be  entirely  gone  now.  I  have  no 
pain  especially.  Charlie  looks  so  fat  and  healthy.  He  was  very 
sick  last  summer.  I  guess  you  have  no  idea  how  bad  he  was.  He 
looked  so  thin  and  haggard,  but  God  finally  saw  he  had  been  sick 
long  enough,  and  He  made  him  well  and  healthy. 

I  am  still  saved  and  sanctified,  and  ready  to  meet  God  now. 
Never  lie  down  without  knowing  you  are  ready  to  meet  the  Judge 
of  all  the  earth,  who  has  said,  "  Follow  peace  with  all  men  and,  Iioli- 
Hi'ss,  without  which  uf)  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  It  means  a  good 
deal  to  be  justified  even.  We  can  not  yield' to  any  bad  thing  with- 
out sinning.  May  God's  richest  blessings  rest  upon  you  till  we 
meet  again,  whether  on  earth  or  in  heaven.  We  are  praying  for 
you.     Jesus  may  come  any  time.     Let  us  be  ready,  therefore,  and 


\    YOUNG    .MISSIONARY  137 

may  He  lind  us  watching  and  waiting  and  pra\ing.  1  think  it  is 
awful  if  you  go  visiting  on  God's  chiy,  which  He  has  commanded 
us  to  keep  holy.  I  think  it  is  awful  to  go  and  visit  with  wicked 
people  on  the  Sabbath  day.  "  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from 
the  Sabbath,  from"  doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy  day;  and  call  the 
Sabbath  a  delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honorable;  and  shalt  honor 
hnn,  not  doing  thine  own  ways,  nor  tinding  thine  own  pleasure,  nor 
speaking  thine  own  words:  then  shalt  thou  delight  thyself  in  the 
Lord;  and  I  will  cause  thee  to  ride  upon  the  high  places  of  the 
earth,  and  feed  thee  with  the  heritage  of  Jacob  thy  father;  for  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it."     Isa.  58:  13,   14. 

February,  1901. —  It  has  been  a  long  time  since  I  have  written 
to  you.  I  am  getting  stronger  and  l)etter.  The  Lord  has  wonder- 
fully helped  me  in  my  body.     He  is  a  friend  in  need.        Bertha. 

J.\NUARY,    19OI. 

;Mv  Dear  Sister  Alice:  You  must  excuse  me  for  not  writing 
before,  but  I  have  not  been  very  well.  I  have  not  been  to  school 
since  New  Years,  but  I  expect  to  start  again  this  week  or  next. 
Next  week  is  the  last  week  of  this  term,  and  I  am  anxious  to  get 
back  to  school  so  I  can  catch  up  for  examination.  I  expect  to  pass 
geography,  history,  and  spelling.  L  had  excellent  grades  in  all  my 
studies  last  term.  I  like  to  study.  I  hope  you  are  feeling  pretty 
well  in  body  by  this  time.  God  bless  you.  It  seems  to  me  like  this 
year  has  passed  away  so  fast.  I  believe  I  have  learned  more  simple 
love  and  faith  in  God  in  this  past  year  than  I  ever  had  before. 
We  had  some  strange  experiences  this  past  year,  but  God  has  stood 
by  us  through  all.  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  are  saved  and  getting 
along  so  well.  I  am  getting  much  better.  I  think  I  did  not  take 
enough  exercise  when  I  was  going  to  school,  and  I  confined  myself 
to  study  too  closely.     I   have  had  a  very  bad  cough. 

I  am  so  glad  so  many  got  saved  up  there.  Let  us  pray  that  they 
may  hold  out  firm  to  the  end.  That  was  nice  about  that  little  boy 
that  got  saved.  God  wonderfully  uses  children  a  great  many  times 
in  the  salvation  of  others.  Bertha. 


138  A    YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

February,  1901. 
Precious  Girl  :  I  regret  that  you  have  not  heard  from  me  for 
two  weeks.  I  have  been  pretty  bad,  but  I  am  getting  bett-er.  I 
was  pretty  bad  until  last  Sunday,  when  we  prayed  for  my  healing. 
God  undertook  the  case,  and  I  am  getting  better  and  stronger.  Aiy 
case  is  in  the  hands  of  a  Doctor  who  never  lost  a  case.  I  expect 
I  will  be  able  to  start  to  school  pretty  soon.  Your  last  letter  was 
so  good.  The  reason  you  did  not  get  a  letter  sooner  was  because 
I  waited  to  get  a  stamp  to  send  it  with.  I  have  remembered  to 
pray  for  you,  and  will  continue  to  do  so.  I  will  try  and  write  you 
a  long  letter  next  time.  I  am  still  saved  and  sanctified.  We  are 
having  fine  weather  these  days.       Your  loving  sister.        Bertha. 

March  6,  1901. 
My  Dear  Sister  Alice:  I  am  getting'  so  much  better  in  rny 
body.  I  had  three  of  the  elders  of  the  church  come  and  anoint  me 
with  oil  and  pray  for  me.  The  Lord  is  restoring  me.  I  go  out  for 
a  walk  every  day.  While  I  could  not  write,  yet  I  did  not  forget  to 
pray  for  you.  It  seems  to  be  quite  a  nice  day  to-day.  I  guess  I  will 
go  out  and  take  some  exercise  after  a  while.     Be  true  to  God. 

Your  sister,  saved  and  sanctified,  Bertha. 

These  last  few  letters  to  her  friends  I  had  to  finish  for 
her,  as  she  was  too  tired  to  do  it  herself.  For  that  reason 
they  have  no  real  ending,  as  we  only  put  in  here  what  she 
wrote  herself.  None  of  us  thought  of  such  a  thing  as  her 
leaving  us.  We  all  thought  she  was  getting  better.  She 
had  blessed  seasons  with  her  Saviour,  and  walked  and 
talked  with  Him  until  the  last.  She  would,  as  it  were,  talk 
face  to  face  with  Jesus.  I  would  hear  her  say,  as  she  was 
sitting  in  her  chair,  "  Oh  Jesus,  how  I  love  you."  Several 
times  she  told  me  that  she  saw  Jesus.  Sometimes  I  would 
run  to  her  room,  and  ask  her  if  she  called  me.  She  would 
say,  "  No,  I  only  said.  Hallelujah."  The  last  Sunday  she 
lived  she  got  down  on  her  knees,  and  pra\ed  and  wept  with 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    liEKTllA    RASMUSSEN  139 

two  unsaved  girls  wlio  came  in  to  see  her.  Oli,  how  she 
pleaded  with  them  to  give  their  hearts  to  God.  Oh.  how 
surprised  we  were  when  her  blessed  spirit  took  its  flight, 
April  17,  1901,  from  this  cold  world  to  a  world  of  joy  and 
bliss ;  but  we  have  nothing  to  say.  She  has  always  been  the 
I.ord's,  and  He  had  a  right  to  take  her.  When  but  a  baby 
I  would  ask  her  whose  girl  she  was,  and  she  would  say, 
"  Jesus'." 


BIBLE  REFERENCES    FROM    HER 
JOURNAL 

BIBLE    REFERENCES   ON    SANCTIFICATION    OR    HOLINESS. 

Scriptures  that  scciniir^Iy  oppose  holiness.  2  Chron.  6:  36 
(may  not  sin);  i  Kings  8:46;  Prov.  20:9  (nobody); 
Ecclcs.  7:20  (natural  man);  Rom.  6:20.  The  one, verse, 
Rom.  6:6,  is  sufficient  to  answer  all  the  above. 

Scriptures  interpret  Scriptures. — Isa.  42  :  17.  Backslider 
(he  that  is).  Servant  Israel  not  in  original  Roman  Catholic. 
Job  5:7;  15:14,  16.  (Spoken  by  Eliphaz  the  Temanite. 
and  Bildad  the  Shuhite,  Job's  enemies.  God  did  not  order 
it.  Job  42:7.)  Matt.  17:  16,  17  (to  a  Jew)  ;  Rom.  3:  10, 
18;  Ps.  53;  Ps.  14;  (Rom.  8)  Rom.  7:14,  25  (not  con- 
verted but  awakened);  2  Cor.  12:7;  Phil.  3:12;  i  John 
1:8;  Acts  3:19;  Rom.  8:7.  (Carnal  mind;  justification 
is  like  cutting  down  a  tree,  and  sanctification  is  taking  out 
the  roots.)  "  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth,  Thy  word 
is  truth."     John  17:  17. 

Conimands  to  be  sanctified.  "  Sanctify  yourselves  there- 
fore, and  be  ve  holy ;  for  I  am  the  Lord  your  God."     Lev. 


I40  A   YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

20:7.  "This  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanctification." 
I  Thcss.  4:3;  Heb.  12:  15.  "And  lest  I  should  be  exalted 
above  measure  through  the  abundance  of  the  revelations, 
there  was  given  to  me  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the  messenger  of 
Satan  to  buffet  me,  lest  I  be  exalted  above  measure."  Some 
people  say,  "  You  have  to  sin  a  little  to  keep  humble."  Well, 
if  that  is  the  case,  the  more  we  sin  the  better,  as  we 
would  get  more  humble ;  but  it  is  not  the  case,  for  common 
sense  teaches  us  better.  Besides,  God  says,  "  He  that  com- 
mittcth  sin  is  of  the  devil."  i  John  3:8.  Prov.  14:34; 
Rom.  6:1. 

The  carnal  mind.  Rom.  y:  14-20;  8:6-8;  Gal.  5:17- 
21  ;  Matt.  15 :  19;  Jer.  17:  9.  10;  Isa,  i  :  5,  6;  Gal.  6:  8. 

Is  a  birth  state.  Gen.  5:3;  Ps.  51:5;  Job  14:4;  Ps. 
58 :  3  ;  Eph.  2  :  3. 

Remains  after  conversion,  i  Cor.  3  :  1-3  ;  Eph.  4 :  22,  23  ; 
Heb.  12 :  I. 

Provisions  for  its  destruction.  Rom.  8:3;  Gal.  3:13; 
I  John  3:8;  Rom.  6:6;  Ps.  51:2,  5-7;  Gal.  5:19-21,  24; 
I  John  1:7;  Col.  2:  11;  2  Cor.  6:4-18;  Lev.  20:8;  Eze. 
37 :  28 ;  Jude  i  ;  Heb.  2:11;  Titus  2:14;  Heb.  10 :  10 ;  Heb. 
13:  12. 

EIBLE   REFERENCES   ON   DIVINE   HEALING. 

(7)  Sickness  by  sin.     Lev.  26:  14-16;  Deut.  28:58-61. 

(2)  Recovery  is  of  God.  Ex.  15  :  26  ;  Ex.  23  :  23  ;  Deut. 
7:15;  Ps.  67  :  I,  2  ;  Ps.  103  :  2-5. 

(j)  Instances  of  healing.     2  Kings  20:  1-7 :  Phil.  2:27. 

(4)  Christ  healed  the  sick.  Matt.  4:  23  ;  8 :  16,  17  ;  Mark 
6:5,6. 

(5)  Commanded  His  disciples  to  heal.    Matt.  10:8. 

(d)  Healing  to  accompany  preaching.     Mark  16:  15-18. 


OR   THE    LIFE    OF    RERTHA    RASMUSSEN  141 

(7)  They  did  heal  the  siek.     Acts  5:  i6;  Acts  28:8,  9. 

(8)  Retained  in  the  eliiireh.  James  5:14,  15;  i  Cor. 
12:  9,  28,  30. 

BIBLE     REFERENCES     ON     "  THE    OLD    TESTAMENT     NOT    DONE 
AWAY  WITH." 

Rom.  8:4;  John  1:17;  Acts  13 :  39 ;  Gal.  3 :  23,  29 ;  Gal. 
5  :  18,  2^.  Anszvers.  Matt.  5  :  17,  19.  (Jesus  kept  the  Law, 
and  He  is  onr  Pattern.)  Luke  16:  16,  17  ;  i  Peter  i  :  23-25  ; 
Isa.  40 :  8  ;  Rom.  6 :  14,  15  ;  James  i  :  21-25  '<  2  Peter  1:21; 
Deut.  4:2;  Rev.  22 :  18.  19 ;  22 :  9 ;  Ps.  19:7,  8 ;  2  Tim.  3 : 
16.  17;  Luke  16:29,  31  :  John  17:  17. 

Not  under.  Col.  2:13-23;  Heb.  9:10;  Heb.  10;  t6; 
Rom.  2  :  15-25  ;  Rom.  7:6,  7  ;  John  14 :  23.  24  ;  John  15  :  10 ; 
7:  16,  17  ;  Isa.  42:  4. 

BIBLE    REFERENCE.S    ON    TITHING. 

Gen.  28  :  22  ;  Heb.  7  :  i ,  2  ;  Gen.  14 :  18-20 ;  Neh.  lo :  36 ; 
Matt.  23:23;  Luke  11:42;  Lev.  27:30-34;  Deut.  26:12; 
Num.  18:12,  21;  Neh.  12:44;  Neh.  10:38;  Num.  19: 
25-28. 

lVhe)i  to  give.    Ex.  34:  26;  Ex.  23 :  16,  19. 

Result.  Prov.  3:9,  10;  i  Tim..6:  17-19;  Prov.  28:27; 
Prov.  19:  7. 

Giving.  Mai.  1:6-11;  3:8-12;  Deut.  16 :  9-17 ;  Luke 
6 :  30-38 ;  2  Cor.  8 :  1-9. 

BIBLE  REFERENCES  ON  THE  LORD's  SUPPER. 

Preface,  i  Cor.  15:3-8;  Gal.  i:  i,  11,  12,  17;  Acts  26: 
15-18. 

I   Cor.    11:20-30;    Matt.    26:26-30;   Mark    14:22-26; 


142  A' YOUNG    MISSIONARY 

Luke  22:19,  20;  I   Cor.   10:20,  21;  Acts  2:42-46;  Acts 
20:  7. 

BIBLE    REFERENCES    ON    MUSIC. 

Invention  of.     Gen.  4:21, 
Its  effect  on  Saul,     i  Sam.  16:  14-27,. 
Used  for  i^'orship.     2  Sam.  6:5;  i   Chron.   15:28;  16: 
42  ;  2  Chron.  7:6;  29 :  25  ;  Ps.  33  ;  81  ;  92 ;  108 ;  150 ;  Dan, 

3:5- 

At  festivities.  Isa.  5:12;  14:11;  Amos  6:5;  Luke  15 : 
25  ;  I  Cor.  14 :  7. 

In  heaven.     Rev.  5  :  8 ;  14 :  2. 

BIBLE    REFERENCES    ON    THE    FULNESS    OF    GOD. 
(Based  on  Eph.  3:19.) 

Rom.  15:13;  I  Pet.  1:8;  Isa.  26:3;  Matt.  9:29;  Ps. 
16:11;  John  15:  11;  Matt.  6 :  22 ;  John  7 :  17  ;  i  John  1:5,6; 
Micah  3:8;  Acts  1:8;  Acts  15:8,  9 ;  Ps.  104 :  16 ;  Isa.  61 : 
3;  Ps.  92:12-14;  Phil.  i:ii;  Gal.  5:22,  23;  John  15:8; 
Rom.  15  :  14 ;  Matt.  25  :  21  ;  Acts  1 1  :  24;  Ps.  65  :  9 ;  Ps.  116 : 
13  ;  John  4 :  14  ;  John  7  :  38,  39 ;  Ps.  36 :  8  ;  Rev.  22  :  17, 

In  the  Father's  dispensation  they  had  the  cup  of  salva- 
tion. 

In  the  Son's,  the  well  of  water,  typicahof  salvation. 

In  the  Holy  Ghost  dispensation,  rivers  of  water,  or  sal- 
vation. 

Water  is  typical  of  salvation. 

BIBLE   REFERENCES   ON   THE   LAMB   OF   GOD. 

Lev.  3  :  6  ;  I  Peter  1:19;  Lev.  4 :  32  ;  Num.  28 :  3  ;  Lev. 
22  :  20-25,  30 ;  Matt.  3:17;  Lam.  3  :  22,  23  ;  Isa.  53  :  7 ;  Matt 
II  :  II. 


OR   THE    LIFE   OF    BERTHA    RASMUSSEN  I43 

The  Lord's  Prayer  —  Matthew  6. 

The  Commandments  —  Exodus  20. 

The  Beatitudes  —  Matthew  5. 

Paul's  Conversion  —  Acts  9. 

Christ's  Great  Prayer  —  John  17:17. 

The  Prodigal  Son  —  Luke  15. 

The  Ten  Virgins  —  Matthew  25. 

The  Parable  of  the  Talents  —  Matthew  25. 

Abiding  Chapter  —  John  15. 

Resurrection  Chapter — i  Corinthians   15. 

Shepherd  Chapter  —  John  10. 

Love  Chapter — i  Corinthians  13. 

Armor  Chapter  —  Ephesians  6. 

Bible  Study  Psalm  —  Psalm  119. 

The  Great  Invitation  —  Rev.  22:17;  Isa.  55:1. 

Rest  Verse  —  Matt.  1 1  :  28. 

Worker's  Verse  —  2  Timothy  2  :  28. 

Another  Worker's  Verse  —  Ps.    126:6. 

Tongue  Chapter  —  James  3. 

Traveler's  Psalm  —  Psalm  121. 

The  Greatest  Verse  —  John  3  :  16. 

How  to  be  Saved  —  Acts  16:  13-15. 

Should  I  Confess  Christ  —  Romans  10. 


"77^    WILI^  STIR    TUB    SOUL,'' 

A  NEW  AND  WONDERFUL  BOOK. 

OLD-TIME  RELIGION. 


By  Rev.  S.  B.   SHAW. 


Including  an  account  of  the  Greatest  Re- 
vivals since  Pentecostal  Days,  and  telling  how- 
to  bring  about  an  old  time  revival.  Also 
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320  PAGES,  S  BY  8  INCHES. 


Price,  per  copy,  post=paid  :  Cloth,  $i.oo;  Paper,  35  cents. 


Be  early  in  the  field, 
al!  the  outfit  needed. 


Secure  a  copy  of  the  book.     It  will  be 
Write  us  at  once  for  terms  to  agents. 

S.  B.  SHAW3  PUBLISHER, 

212-214  W.  CHICAGO  AVE..  CHICAQO.  ILLINOIS. 


DATE  DUE 


GAYLORD  #3523PI        Printed  in  USA 


